Romania edges toward political chaos as PSD abandons coalition and joins forces with AUR in dramatic bid to dismantle minority government

According to recent polls, PSD and AUR could secure a parliamentary majority if they joined forces at an upcoming general election.

Bolojan, head of the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), is currently leading a minority coalition government after the PSD decided to join the opposition last week.

Ciprian Ciucu, mayor of Bucharest and a senior figure in the PNL party, criticized the move, writing on Facebook: “To me, it seems very irresponsible.”

“Anyone who builds a majority to bring down a government has the responsibility to form another one in its place,” he added, and announced his party would no longer enter a coalition with the Social Democrats

Other PNL politicians attacked the Social Democrats’ leader, Sorin Grindeanu, for his collaboration with the far-right AUR. “Grindeanu has repeatedly claimed that he would not collaborate with AUR. The alliance today confirms Grindeanu’s permanent lie,” MEP Dan Motreanu wrote on Facebook.

The motion could be debated in parliament in early May, according to local media. However, both PSD and AUR would need the support of other opposition parties, since together they have only 219 seats in parliament, 14 votes short of the majority needed to topple the prime minister.

Romania was plunged into political crisis in 2024 after a presidential election was controversially annulled due to suspected foreign interference.