Dan Nicușor Selects Romania's New Prime Minister

Romanian President Nicușor Dan is preparing to nominate a candidate for prime minister for the fourth time. According to Digi24, the leading contenders at this time are Social Democratic Party leader Sorin Grindeanu and Acting Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare. The president is expected to make a final decision after consulting with parliamentary parties on Monday.

 

A new candidate became necessary after the government proposed by Sigfried Mureșan failed to secure a vote of confidence in parliament. The vote took place on September 30. Of the 464 deputies and senators, 321 were present at the session, and 197 votes were deemed valid. A total of 182 lawmakers voted in favor of Mureșan’s government, while 15 voted against it. At least 233 votes were needed to approve the cabinet.

Thus, the political crisis in Romania continues. Following the failure of Mureșan’s government, the president now has the option to either nominate a new prime minister or proceed with a process that, under certain conditions, could lead to early parliamentary elections. For now, Dan has chosen the first option and is preparing for new consultations with political forces. That is why the president’s upcoming meeting with parliamentary parties will be of great importance. Following the consultations, Dan must decide on a fourth candidate for the position of prime minister. According to Digi24, the spotlight is currently on two names—Sorin Grindeanu and Alexandru Nazare.

Sorin Grindeanu Wants to Lead the Government

The first of the two main candidates is Sorin Grindeanu, chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Romania. He has repeatedly stated publicly that he is ready to become prime minister. Grindeanu has also emphasized that the PSD is the largest party in parliament, so he believes it has the right to claim leadership of the government. Following the collapse of the Mureșan government, Grindeanu urged politicians not to drag out the negotiations. He said: “It’s better not to waste time (...) We’ve already wasted more than 10 days, almost two weeks (...) for what? So that someone can try to convince us that they want to become prime minister.”

The Social Democratic leader also made it clear that he himself wants the position if the president nominates him. “If I am appointed, I want to become prime minister, unlike Siegfried Muresan, who did not want that,” he said. At the same time, Grindeanu called on political forces to engage in dialogue and tone down public disputes. This is not the first time Grindeanu has expressed his readiness to lead the government. His position became particularly prominent after Parliament failed to endorse Mureșan’s candidacy. After the vote, he stated that Romania urgently needs a fully-fledged government and that his party is ready to take responsibility for further actions.

Another option—Alexandru Nazare

The second leading candidate currently being considered by Nicușor Dan is Alexandru Nazare. He is currently serving as acting head of Romania’s Ministry of Finance. His name has been mentioned for several months as a possible contender for the position of prime minister. Nazare himself has previously stated that it is a great honor for him to see his name among the potential candidates. At the same time, he has not stated that he specifically seeks the position of prime minister. According to him, he is currently focused on his work at the Ministry of Finance and on issues that require urgent resolution.

Nazare also emphasized the need for agreements among political forces. He said that Romania needs a realistic plan for 2027, and the future government must present a clear program of action. “We must agree on specific measures that will form a reliable plan for 2027, regardless of the issue of the government’s appointment and approval,” Nazare stated.

His candidacy may be significant precisely because of the country’s current economic situation. However, the final decision rests with the president, and the mere fact that Nazare is among the leading contenders does not yet guarantee his appointment.

There are other candidates as well

Grindianu and Nazare are not the only names being mentioned in political discussions. Eugene Tomac is also mentioned among the possible candidates. The president had previously nominated him for the position of prime minister, but at that time, the nomination did not reach a vote in parliament. Another option is Luca Niculescu, Romania’s former ambassador to France. Leonardo Badea, the current first deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania, is also being mentioned in political circles. At the same time, information about these candidates is still in the discussion phase and does not yet constitute official decisions.

According to Digi24, following the collapse of Mureșan’s government, negotiations regarding a new cabinet could unfold according to two scenarios. One involves replacing the prime minister within the current political framework. The second involves appointing a technocrat as head of government, while ministerial posts would remain with representatives of political parties.

What’s Next

The president’s consultations with parliamentary parties are scheduled for Monday. According to the published schedule, representatives of the PSD will be the first to meet with Nicușor Dan, after which talks will take place with other parliamentary factions and deputy groups. Once the consultations are complete, the president is expected to name a new candidate for prime minister. This will be Dan’s fourth nomination since the start of the current political crisis. Previously, Parliament had rejected the government’s attempts to form a cabinet after the nomination of other candidates, and on September 30, Sigfried Mureșan’s cabinet also failed to gain approval. According to AGERPRES, Mureșan was the third candidate nominated by the president following the dismissal of Ilie Bolojan’s government in May.

Dan himself does not currently support the idea of early parliamentary elections. The president has stated that, in theory, such an option might seem appealing, but in practice it could lead to prolonged instability. According to him, Romania needs to maintain the ability to make budgetary and financial decisions and ensure that government institutions continue to function.

Therefore, the main focus is now on the negotiations at the presidential palace. If an agreement on a new prime minister is reached, his government must then undergo the approval process in parliament. If the next candidate also fails to secure the necessary support, the political crisis could enter a new phase. Under the Romanian Constitution, after at least two requests to form a government have been rejected within a specified time frame, the president may, under certain conditions, dissolve Parliament.

No final decision has been made yet. According to Digi24, the president’s choice now effectively boils down to two main candidates—Sorin Grindeanu and Alexandru Nazare. Nicușor Dan is expected to announce the final candidate on Monday after consulting with parliamentary factions.