In a shocking twist just two days before his mandate ended, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) abandoned coalition negotiations with three globalist, pro-Brussels parties.
Despite his party losing a fifth of its seats, Ciolacu announced on December 19th that he would support their minority government from the outside, throwing the country into even deeper political turmoil.
This move came after the PSD, the Liberal National Party (PNL), the liberal USR, and the Hungarian UDMR had tentatively agreed on a “democratic” coalition aimed at excluding three rightist, anti-globalist parties. However, cracks in the negotiations quickly emerged, particularly between the PSD and the anti-establishment USR, which had campaigned on opposing each other. Even though a majority coalition could have been formed without the USR, the parties sought to present a united front against the rising Euroskeptic bloc and field a joint candidate for the presidential election, recently annulled over unsubstantiated claims of Russian interference.
Tensions boiled over when USR leader Elena Lasconi issued an eight-point ultimatum, demanding sweeping reforms, including firing secret service heads, overhauling the constitutional court, and holding a referendum to bar prior convicts from public office. Instead of rejecting these demands outright and proceeding without the USR, Ciolacu stunned everyone by abruptly leaving the talks, wishing the remaining parties luck in forming a fragile minority coalition.
Although Ciolacu promised parliamentary support for the new government, this arrangement leaves the coalition precariously dependent on PSD’s goodwill. Such instability couldn’t come at a worse time. Romania faces an economic crisis, Europe’s worst budget deficit, and no government to approve the 2025 budget. The public’s trust in institutions has collapsed following the canceled presidential election, and the interim president, Klaus Iohannis, has extended his mandate unilaterally due to constitutional uncertainty.
Critics didn’t mince words. USR MP Cătălin Drulă lambasted Ciolacu’s “irresponsibility” and accused him of dodging accountability. “Every time they ruined the country’s finances, they fled from governing,” Drulă fumed. PNL leader Nicolae Ciuca echoed these concerns, urging PSD’s return to stabilize the political landscape.
President Iohannis, calling for calm, warned against prolonged political squabbling. “This is not the time for petty quarrels,” he declared, urging leaders to prioritize forming a government quickly.
Ciolacu’s critics accuse him of prioritizing political gain over national interest. Observers speculate his strategy involves letting the new coalition face public backlash over tough austerity measures, then capitalizing on their unpopularity to strengthen PSD in snap elections. Ciolacu, who harbors presidential ambitions, could exploit the fallout to position himself as a savior in future campaigns.
Adding to the chaos, Ciolacu reportedly made the decision to exit unilaterally, blindsiding many of his own party members. This has sparked calls for new leadership within the PSD. Political analyst Dan Tăpălagă suggested, “The PSD should consider replacing Ciolacu or ignoring his decision if it wants to stay relevant.”
As Romania teeters on the brink of a deeper crisis, the question looms: who, if anyone, can steer the country back from the brink, with a prime minister seemingly determined to gamble with its future for his own ambitions?
