Romanian Social Democrats sue caretaker government over strategic decisions

Legal action launched

PSD announced on 27 July that it had filed a complaint with the Bucharest Court of Appeal and a referral to the General Prosecutor against the government led by interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan. The party argues that, after being dismissed by Parliament, the executive is restricted to routine administration, yet it continued to adopt strategic decisions with long-term effects.

“A dismissed government approved future policies without having a mandate for the present.”

The Social Democrats, led by president Sorin Grindeanu, described the moves as a flagrant violation of the constitution. They stressed that the caretaker cabinet must limit itself to current affairs and that the interim mandate of several ministers has exceeded the constitutional 45-day limit.

Disputed decisions

Among the challenged acts is the National Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation 2026–2030 and its accompanying action plan. The strategy is a milestone under Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), valued at 972.4 million euros. PSD asserts that the document could directly affect major infrastructure projects: highway construction, natural gas extraction in the Black Sea through the Neptun Deep project, and the completion or construction of new hydropower plants.

The party is contesting the decisions adopted during a government session on 23 July, as well as eight other similar decrees it says follow a clear pattern of exceeding legal boundaries and ignoring negative advisory opinions.

Constitutional arguments

PSD insists that following a parliamentary vote of no confidence, a dismissed cabinet is strictly confined to acts of current administration. The party's statement says it is not a legal interpretation or political opinion but an explicit constitutional norm. The Social Democrats accuse interim premier Bolojan of interpreting the limits abusively and continuing to act as if holding a full mandate.

“No time window serves as a shield against liability.”

PSD also notes that it has consistently supported measures required for PNRR commitments and EU fund absorption, including during the current extraordinary parliamentary session, but that this cannot excuse violations of the constitution.

Next steps

On 28 July, the party will ask the Bucharest Court of Appeal to suspend the execution of decisions already published in the Official Gazette. Unpublished acts will be challenged as soon as they appear. The referral to the General Prosecutor asks prosecutors to examine whether the adoption and implementation of the decisions carry penal consequences.