Romania swears in new prime minister and cabinet after months-long impasse

Romania has sworn in a new government after parliament approved a cabinet led by Luca Niculescu, ending a months-long political deadlock. The vote took place on Tuesday in Bucharest and followed a prolonged period without a stable administration. Niculescu, an independent diplomat, is now set to begin work immediately.

Lawmakers backed the proposed cabinet by 280 votes to 58, giving the new administration a clear parliamentary mandate. President Nicușor Dan nominated Niculescu on 5 October, making him the president's fourth choice for the post after three earlier nominees failed to form a government. Niculescu was widely expected to secure approval after obtaining support pledges from the Social Democrats and other parties.

The new prime minister said his immediate priority would be Romania's large budget deficit. Speaking after the vote, he thanked lawmakers for trusting his team and said the government would focus on bringing funds and investment into the country. He has reportedly reached a deal with several parties for six months of backing while a longer-term agreement is negotiated.

The cabinet's approval matters because Romania has faced repeated political instability since the annulment of a presidential election in December 2024. The country has also been dealing with rampant inflation, a technical recession and one of the highest budget deficits in the European Union last year. The latest vote also came after lawmakers rejected a cabinet proposed by Dan's third pick, Siegfried Mureșan, which had raised the prospect of early elections.

The crisis deepened in May, when then-prime minister Ilie Bolojan was removed in a no-confidence motion. That motion was filed jointly by the Social Democratic Party, which had been part of his governing coalition, and the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians. Bolojan's government had pursued strict austerity measures, and his removal left Romania without a settled political direction for weeks.

Romania's new government now faces the challenge of turning parliamentary support into a workable programme while negotiating a longer-term political arrangement. The country's fiscal position and wider economic pressures mean the cabinet will be judged quickly on whether it can stabilise public finances without triggering further unrest. It remains unclear how durable the six-month support arrangement will be, and whether the parties involved can agree on a lasting coalition.

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