Romania's Social Democrats may insist on hiking minimum wage in January

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) may insist on hiking the minimum wage as of January 2026, in line with the national legislation, but also to implement the Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on minimum wage as already envisaged last year. This puts at risk the government's plans for keeping the wages in the budgetary sector constant until the end of 2026, for the second consecutive year – a key element of the fiscal consolidation strategy pinpointed by the budgetary measures legislated in July.

The topic risks turning into another major point of disagreement among the Social Democrats and their ruling partners, besides the local administration reform and the Bucharest mayoral elections.