Romanian parliament approves pro-EU Niculescu government after five-month deadlock

The vote

Romania's parliament approved on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, a government led by Luca Niculescu, a 55-year-old pro-European diplomat. The cabinet won 280 votes in favour and 58 against, well above the 233 needed to take office. According to ANSA, Niculescu was backed by three pro-EU parties. Europa Press counts the vote as ending 169 days without a government with full powers, dating from the fall of the executive led by Ilie Bolojan.

How the deadlock began

The crisis started in May, when the Social Democratic Party (PSD) left the coalition led by the liberal Ilie Bolojan over disagreements on austerity measures. A no-confidence motion followed and brought the government down. The far-right AUR climbed to about 40% in opinion polls and demanded early elections, but President Nicusor Dan ruled out both early elections and a role for the far right in the executive. Sources differ on how many candidates tried before Niculescu: ANSA calls him the fourth to seek a majority, while Europa Press counts him as the third nominated by the president since April, after former public works minister Adrian Vestea and MEP Siegfried Muresan failed to form a government.

Support in parliament

The majority brings together the PSD, the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) and independents, and the PSD holds most of the ministerial posts. Adnkronos describes the stability of this majority as uncertain. The PSD will re-evaluate its support for Niculescu in six months, while the liberals will back the government at least until the 2027 budget is approved. Analyst Sergiu Miscoiu warned that new hostilities could start as early as this spring, and said Niculescu would mainly have to put out fires. In a Facebook post after the vote, Niculescu wrote that his team would start work that same evening.

Thank you to the Romanian Parliament for today's vote. It is a vote that the government team and I receive with great responsibility.

First steps in office

Mediafax reports that the government adopted its first emergency ordinance in almost six months on Tuesday evening, and kept the organisational chart approved by parliament. The number of deputy prime ministers fell from five to one, Marian Neacsu, who also leads the Interior Ministry. Two delegate minister posts were created: Bogdan Dumitru for digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and the social democrat Sorin Ionescu for pre-university education. Ministers begin taking over their ministries on Wednesday, 21 October, and Niculescu will attend several handovers, starting at 09:00 at the Ministry of Investment and European Projects. Government sources cited by Adevarul say the most urgent task is a budget rectification, which must be completed within a week or the health system would collapse. They add that Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare, who also sat in the Bolojan government, knows the figures well.

Brussels, the OECD and reactions

Niculescu plans a visit to Brussels in the week of 26 October to try to unlock sums from the PNRR programme, which ended at the end of August. Adevarul's sources say a government meeting could be held on Friday, 23 October, to decide on, among other things, preparations for winter. The same sources say OECD accession will depend on the efforts made in the coming period, and that the decision rests with the Americans. At his first press conference as prime minister, Niculescu said:

Romania's accession to the OECD will unlock investment funds.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola congratulated him on X, saying Romania plays an important role in shaping Europe's future. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also congratulated him. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar congratulated him on X and said he looked forward to cooperation with the new Romanian foreign minister.