President Nicușor Dan called for calm after the collapse of the Liberal-led government on Tuesday, May 5, saying Romania remains a stable state and ruling out the possibility of early elections. He also announced the start of informal consultations with political parties to form a new pro-Western government “within a reasonable timeframe.”

“The government was dismissed today by Parliament. It is not a happy moment in any democracy. However, it is a democratic decision of Parliament,” Dan said on Tuesday evening after the no-confidence vote that toppled Liberal (PNL) prime minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet.

The president sought to reassure the public and financial markets amid the political crisis triggered by the successful no-confidence motion backed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), a former partner in the ruling coalition, and the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR).

“I invite everyone to remain calm. Romania is a stable state, state institutions are functioning, and Romania has a direction that it follows,” Dan said.

He further stressed that Romania’s pro-Western parties still share broad agreement on the country’s strategic priorities, including its Western orientation, OECD accession process, budget targets for 2026, and key European-funded programs such as SAFE and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The president pointed out that Parliament approved investments worth EUR 9 billion in the SAFE program last week, despite the ongoing political tensions surrounding the no-confidence motion.

Moreover, Nicușor Dan confirmed that negotiations to form a new government are set to begin soon and said he would first hold informal consultations before launching formal talks once political options become clearer.

“We will have a new government within a reasonable timeframe. I therefore exclude the scenario of early elections,” he said. “At the end of these procedures, we will have a pro-Western government.”

According to Digi24, informal consultations with party leaders could begin as early as Wednesday. Political sources cited by the broadcaster said leaders of the parties that were part of the outgoing coalition are expected to meet the president one by one to present their positions and discuss possible governing formulas. Those expected to participate include PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu, PNL leader Ilie Bolojan, USR president Dominic Fritz, and UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor.

Romania’s government collapsed Tuesday after Parliament adopted the no-confidence motion with 281 votes, well above the 233 required. The Ilie Bolojan cabinet will remain in office in an interim capacity with limited powers until a new executive secures parliamentary approval.

The government had been in office for roughly 10 months, supported by a broad pro-European coalition that included PSD, PNL, the Save Romania Union (USR), and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). The coalition fractured after growing tensions between PSD and the Liberal prime minister over fiscal policy and reforms.

Following the government’s fall, PNL announced it would move into opposition, while USR said it would no longer seek a governing majority with PSD and would instead coordinate closely with the Liberals.

Meanwhile, AUR leader George Simion, whose party backed the no-confidence motion together with PSD, said Tuesday that his party’s main political objective remains early elections.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)