Nicușor Dan weighs dissolving Parliament if Luca Niculescu's government fails by 15 October

The president's deadline

Romanian President Nicușor Dan is considering dissolving Parliament and calling early elections if the government of Luca Niculescu does not win a majority, according to sources close to the Presidential Administration cited by Romanian media. Under the plan those sources described, Thursday, 15 October, is the deadline for Niculescu to secure a majority through a transparent understanding between parties. If that deadline passes without one, the president would present the dissolution decree on Friday, 16 October, at the same time as the prime minister-designate withdraws. The sources said Dan does not intend to nominate another prime ministerial candidate and holds the parties responsible for prolonging the political crisis. The shift is notable because Dan had rejected early elections for five months, despite parliamentary arithmetic showing no clear majority.

A fourth nomination after three failed attempts

Niculescu's nomination is the fourth attempt to form a government since the Bolojan government was brought down by a censure motion from PSD and AUR. Of the earlier attempts, Eugen Tomac withdrew before a parliamentary vote, while Adrian Veștea and Siegfried Mureșan were defeated in votes. The Constitution requires the fall of two successive governments before early elections can be triggered, a condition that G4Media reports has been met. Niculescu was nominated on 5 October, and when he did so, Dan said:

It is necessary for Romania to have a government, both in the immediate term and in the medium term, because prolonging uncertainty will have effects on the lives of Romanians.

Niculescu's talks with parliamentary group leaders, excluding AUR and SOS, have so far failed to produce the at least 233 deputies and senators needed to install a cabinet. A politician involved in the talks told Mediafax that the message from Cotroceni puts pressure on MPs who risk losing their mandates, and that the prospect of a new vote could push some of them to back the government even without a broader deal.

Parties split over the vote

PSD's Sorin Grindeanu has conditioned his party's vote for the Niculescu government on PNL and UDMR entering the governing coalition. Grindeanu rejected the idea of PSD alone backing the government, saying it would put the party in "a zone of vulnerability". PNL and UDMR leaders have said they are willing to vote the government through without joining a coalition with PSD. Three parties have declared outright support for early elections: AUR, PNL and USR. PSD leaders say they do not want early elections but are considering them and preparing for them, with the party's final decision due on Wednesday, 14 October.

Key dates

Niculescu has three of his ten days left to file his list of ministers and government programme with Parliament, and has said he will send both documents on Thursday, 15 October.

1. Oct 5, 2026Luca Niculescu nominated as prime minister-designate
2. Oct 14, 2026PSD to take its final decision on backing the Niculescu government
3. Oct 15, 2026Deadline to win a majority and file ministers list and government programme
4. Oct 16, 2026Planned presentation of the decree dissolving Parliament if no majority is secured

Whether the dissolution decree is presented on Friday depends on whether Niculescu secures a transparent majority by Thursday, the sources said.