President Nicușor Dan warns snap elections may not break Romanias political deadlock

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2 months · 9 summary articles
President Nicușor Dan warned on Tuesday that Romania risks remaining in its current political deadlock even if snap elections are called, as he urged parties to find a consensus on forming a new government before the summer recess. Speaking to Digi24 , the president reiterated that he lacks a timeline for appointing a prime minister but insisted that any new executive must secure at least 233 parliamentary votes. “I would prefer to avoid snap elections,” Dan said. “We would end up in the same deadlock we are in today.”
The impasse deepened as Siegfried Mureșan, the PNL-USR-UDMR candidate for prime minister, accused Sorin Grindeanu of the Social Democrats of behaving as if his party still held an absolute majority, despite lacking the necessary votes. “Grindeanu acts like Liviu Dragnea did when PSD had a majority, but the math no longer adds up,” Mureșan told Digi24 . Mureșan also ruled out any cooperation with the far-right AUR, stating categorically: “Without AUR. Absolutely not.”
AUR leader George Simion escalated the crisis by announcing that his party would initiate proceedings to suspend President Dan for failing to appoint a new government. “We are starting the process to suspend Nicușor Dan,” Simion declared, accusing the president of dragging his feet . The move comes after Simion had earlier demanded Dan name a premier within the week. PSD vice-president Gabriel Zetea warned that prolonged political paralysis could jeopardize Romania’s access to critical EU funds, while also accusing PNL and USR leaders of pushing PSD toward an alliance with AUR .
Dan sought to reassure the public that Romania would avoid a credit rating downgrade to “junk” status, vowing to intervene personally to prevent such an outcome. “It would be catastrophic for us,” he told Digi24 . He also dismissed concerns over a court ruling that could paralyze air traffic, calling the measure disproportionate and noting that the Supreme Defense Council (CSAT) was working on a contingency plan .
With no breakthrough in sight, Dan urged parties to intensify negotiations, though he stopped short of setting a deadline. “I don’t feel the need to get involved in the talks myself,” he said . The president remains open to compromise but has drawn a red line against any government involving AUR, a stance echoed by Mureșan, who emphasized the need for a stable and transparent executive. As summer approaches, the political standoff shows no signs of easing, leaving Romania in uncharted constitutional territory.
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