Romania set to oust PM Bolojan in no-confidence vote

Romania's parliament is likely to oust Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's minority government on Tuesday after debating a no-confidence motion filed jointly by the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the far-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), threatening to plunge the EU member state into further political chaos at a time when it is already struggling with a severe budget deficit and economic instability. The motion requires 233 votes to pass, and when it was submitted, 254 lawmakers had signed it, though some have since indicated they may support Bolojan. The PSD left Bolojan's four-party coalition in late April, citing disagreements over his austerity measures, which have included tax hikes, public sector wage and pension freezes, and public administration job cuts. Romania posted a public deficit of 7.9% of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025, far exceeding the EU's 3% limit, and the leu has sunk to a record low against the euro as markets react to the political uncertainty. If the government collapses, President Nicusor Dan, who nominated Bolojan as prime minister, will need to rebuild a coalition with a different Liberal or technocrat as leader, as no party can form a majority alone. The PSD, which holds the most seats in parliament with 93, has said it would rejoin a coalition under a different prime minister but ruled out any alliance with AUR. Romania also faces losing access to approximately 10 billion euros in EU funds if it fails to meet reform commitments before an August deadline, while the country remains far from meeting the economic criteria to join the eurozone.