Romania’s center-right parties PNL, USR call for parliamentary committee for administrative-territorial reform

The National Liberal Party (PNL) and its allies in Save Romania Union (USR) called for the establishment of a parliamentary committee for administrative-territorial reform on Thursday, October 15.

The two parties, set to form the opposition in the event of an investiture vote for the Luca Niculescu government, had their request approved by the Joint Standing Bureaus of Parliament.

“The request from the PNL and USR parliamentary groups was discussed and approved by the Joint Bureaus, with representatives of the parliamentary groups to submit their proposals so that the draft decision of the Special Committee for administrative-territorial reorganization can be put to a vote,” said Gabriel Andronache, PNL group leader in the Chamber of Deputies, on Facebook.

He explained that the deadline was the next meeting of the Standing Bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

“We warn that any postponement or delay of the decision at the next meeting of the Joint Standing Bureaus would constitute a de facto repudiation of the reform initiative we have proposed and will lead us to use the procedural means available to secure the establishment of the Joint Special Committee for the administrative-territorial reorganization of Romania,” the liberal warned.

Earlier, the leaders of the USR and PNL parliamentary groups sent a letter to the Standing Bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate requesting the establishment of a committee for administrative-territorial reform. The committee will be tasked with drafting the legislative framework needed for this reform so that it can be implemented starting in 2032.

“We expect that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) will support this initiative, given that (party leader) Sorin Grindeanu included administrative-territorial reform among the 10 priorities he asked the government to address just last night. Parliament now has the opportunity to turn political statements into concrete action,” USR said in a press release.

USR proposed an administrative-territorial reform of Romania based on financial and demographic data to enable local administrations to provide better public services and manage public funds efficiently. According to the party, implementing such a reform requires thorough legislative preparation, clear rules, and a realistic timetable that gives local authorities the time they need to adapt.

A territorial reform has long been promised by Romania’s political leaders, but has always been successfully opposed by the territorial networks of the largest parties, PNL and PSD in particular. The Hungarian minority party UDMR, whose voters are clustered in only a few counties in the center of Romania, has also historically been wary of any such reform.