Caretaker PM Bolojan rejects AUR's call to suspend Romanian president, defends handling of coalition talks

Rejection of presidential suspension

“From my point of view, we are in a situation where trust in Romanian institutions is already quite low. And we will not support such an initiative, because we need institutions that have a certain stability. And, sure, we can criticise the occupant of a position, regardless of what position it is, but, if we think about this country, we need some stable frameworks.”

The PNL leader weighed in after AUR president George Simion threatened to start proceedings against Nicușor Dan unless the president named a prime minister this week. Bolojan argued that Romania needs predictable institutional guardrails and that suspending the head of state would further erode public confidence.

Stance on prime ministerial candidates

The president has two formal proposals on the table: PSD’s Sorin Grindeanu and the centre‑right coalition’s pick, MEP Siegfried Mureșan. Bolojan confirmed that his party will not support Grindeanu, despite what he described as a “civilised” personal relationship with the PSD leader. On Mureșan, he acknowledged that President Nicușor Dan did not agree to the candidacy, though he insisted the option remains alive.

“In the discussion I had at Cotroceni, the president did not agree to such a proposal. I did not see that there is an opening for that.”

“We are not putting Siegfried Mureșan in brackets, but he was a proposal that PSD refused to support, and without backing, a logic followed that nominations would not be made any further, although I believe that to make correct decisions it is good to have two proposals.”

Criticism of PSD’s no‑confidence motion

Bolojan heavily criticised the opposition PSD for bringing down his government through a censure motion nearly two months ago.

“It was an irresponsible action for Romania, because when you tear something down without putting something in its place, it means you did not think through the next steps, and in this period of crises, Romania certainly did not need this interim situation that we have today.”

He added that the temporary administration is struggling with energy prices, economic sustainability, budget shortfalls, and external shocks such as the Gulf war, which has pushed up fuel costs and amplified inflation. The interim label also complicates absorption of EU recovery funds and emergency measures.

Defence of negotiation tactics

Responding to the president’s accusation that PNL had played a double game in coalition talks, Bolojan insisted he did not lie. He explained that the initial offer to support a PSD‑led cabinet was always conditional on a reciprocal commitment by the left to back a centre‑right premier. Once the party’s internal structures learned that PSD refused such reciprocity, the position shifted.

“I did not lie; what I regret is that only the part about supporting a PSD government without conditions was retained. I said centre‑right parties could support PSD on the basis of a political agreement, provided the left guaranteed it would back a centre‑right premier.”

Early elections a last resort

Bolojan described early parliamentary elections as highly unlikely, noting that two governments would have to fall before a president can dissolve parliament, a scenario unprecedented in Romania’s post‑communist history. Still, he stated that PNL would not block such a move if it became the only way to break the deadlock.

“In the current moment, there is no such hypothesis. Two governments would have to fall for the president to convene early elections. Personally I am reserved that we will get there, but if we do, PNL will not block the organisation of early parliamentary elections if no reasonable solution is found.”