Romanian government survives no-confidence motions, more tests to follow

The government of Romania, headed by prime minister Ilie Bolojan, survived, on September 7, the four no-confidence motions filed by the opposition in response to the five draft laws promoted under accelerated legislation procedure in Parliament. They received a maximum of 121 votes compared to 233 (of 465 MPs) needed to overthrow the executive, according to Digi24.

Consequently, the four draft laws part of the government's second reform package got Parliament's approval and will go for promulgation unless they are referred to the constitutional court. They focus on SOEs management, healthcare system, multinational taxation (and other budgetary measures), and the remuneration and staffing in the market regulator bodies (ANAF, ASF, ANCOM).

However, this was the easiest part, as the Constitutional Court (CCR) is to rule on the objections raised by the High Court (ICCJ) against the fifth draft law (on magistrates' pensions), and PM Bolojan is yet to reach an agreement with the ruling parties, within two weeks, on cutting the employment in the local administration by 10%.

PM Bolojan implied he is ready to resign unless he reaches the two targets (magistrates' pensions cut and the local administration employment downsized).

The Social Democrats' leader, Sorin Grindeanu, made it clear that his party is not joining the far-right opposition, but he has also criticised the policies promoted by PM Bolojan, which does not bode well for the talks on the local administration streamlining.

PSD has already come up with a softer alternative to PM Bolojan's request for a 10% personnel cut by January 1, 2026. Reformist party USR proposed a 10% cut of the wage envelope for the local administration staff. PM Bolojan insists, however, that only by cutting the number of employees to the level needed by the work volume results inherently in performance-based personnel selection.

Moreover, after the rejection in Parliament of the four motions of censure, AUR announced that it is attacking at the Constitutional Court the four bills assumed by the government, accusing that "the assassins of democracy are trampling on the will of the Romanian people,"