UDMR's Csoma Botond blames PSD for government deadlock, warns red lines will delay new cabinet into next year

The deadlock and the blame

Talks among Romania's pro-European parties to form a government reached an impasse after the Social Democratic Party (PSD) rejected a two-part proposal from its coalition partners, UDMR group leader Csoma Botond told Digi24 on Sunday. The PSD refused to agree to a rotation of the prime minister's office and declined to commit to a shared governance programme that any administration would be obliged to follow.

“The biggest problem was that our colleagues from the Social Democratic Party did not accept the idea of a reciprocal agreement. To have an agreement on the measures of governance and, regardless of who goes to Victoria Palace, applying the same measures we would have agreed upon.”

Botond said PSD insisted on full autonomy over its governing agenda and would not accept reciprocity, leaving the four pro-European parties unable to unite behind a single programme.

A president waiting for a majority

President Nicușor Dan expects the parties to deliver a parliamentary majority before he will designate a prime minister. Botond confirmed that new discussions are scheduled at Cotroceni Palace on Monday. He suggested the president was displeased that no majority had yet emerged.

“Maybe he is a little upset that a majority has not yet crystallised in the Romanian Parliament. He wants a government and he knows that only the political parties can shape and form a majority needed for the investiture of the government.”

Botond described the president's political assessment as not strictly constitutional but understandable given the circumstances.

The candidate and the interim vacuum

UDMR, together with the National Liberal Party (PNL) and Save Romania Union (USR), has jointly proposed Siegfried Mureșan as prime minister and is waiting for Dan's nomination. Botond dismissed any suggestion that UDMR would vote for a single-party PSD cabinet, saying that matter had not even been discussed inside the party. He added that UDMR ministers feel paralysed in the interim administration.

“Our ministers told us that this interim government actually has its hands and feet tied, you cannot do anything at all.”

Early elections unlikely to break the deadlock

Botond poured cold water on the prospect of early elections, arguing they would not fundamentally alter the balance between pro-European forces. AUR, the far-right opposition party, would likely gain, but the same four parties would still have to reach a compromise.

“If we only go with this harsh language and the red lines we maintain, we will not have a government even next year.”

He does not expect a new government to be sworn in before parliament's summer recess but suggested an extraordinary session could be convened later if a deal emerges.