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First Post
21-06-2025
- Business
- First Post
Romania finally gets a prime minister, budget crisis PM Bolojan's first test
Romania's President Nicusor Dan nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the National Liberal Party, after weeks of coalition talks. Now, the biggest challenge in the new government's hands will be tackling the budget crisis read more Romania's new pro-Western president, Nicusor Dan, on Friday nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the pro-European National Liberal Party (PNL), as the country's next prime minister. AP Romania's new pro-Western President, Nicusor Dan , nominated Ilie Bolojan, leader of the pro-European National Liberal Party (PNL), as the country's next prime minister. The move was announced on Friday, marking an end to the weeks of political uncertainty following the annulled December presidential elections. The 56-year-old centre-right leader was serving the role of Senate president and is known for his reformist approach and administrative discipline. It is pertinent to note that Bolojan had previously served as acting president from February to May, when Dan defeated a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The nomination came as Romania, a European Union and NATO member state, is seeking to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. Bolojan was nominated following a fresh round of talks between Dan and PNL. The biggest challenge facing Bolojan now will be taking care of the budget crisis in the country. The budget crisis: Bolojan's biggest challenge The 56-year-old leader will be tasked with tackling Romania's dire finances and reconciling the divided EU member. The country's budget deficit stood at 9.3 per cent at the end of last year, making it the highest in the European Union, AFP reported. In a press conference last week, Bolojan said Romania was 'in a complicated situation', adding that the incoming government would have to resort to 'unpopular measures' that could include cutting public spending and imposing tax rises. Meanwhile, Political scientist Sergiu Miscoiu told AFP that Bolojan was 'the person best placed to take unpopular measures to tackle the serious budget crisis'. However, analysts also point out that apart from a brief time as interim president, he had 'no experience in national politics'. Apart from this, deep social divisions in the nation were also made clear by the controversies that surrounded the presidential election. According to Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, the new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures for the economic and budget crisis,' the political consultant told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation … (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections," he furthered. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What comes next Bolojan's nomination will now need to be approved by the country's parliament. According to Euro News, his government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. Ahead of his nomination, the PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. While speaking after being nominated for the prime ministerial position, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and … to show proper respect to the Romanian people," he furthered. While the far-right parties recently won a third of the parliament seats, they were kept out of the talks to form a new government. Defeated presidential candidate labelled the move as 'a disgrace and an insult'. Meanwhile, the European Union has voiced concerns over the rise of Eurosceptic parties in NATO member Romania that are opposed to sending military aid to Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies.
Euronews
21-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Romania's new president nominates centre-right former mayor as PM
Romania's new pro-Western president, Nicusor Dan, on Friday nominated a centre-right former mayor to be prime minister. The nomination comes as Romania, a European Union and NATO member state, seeks to usher in a new government to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. Dan nominated 56-year-old Ilie Bolojan of the centre-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, after a fresh round of talks Friday following weeks of deliberations. Bolojan had previously served as acting president from February to May, when Dan defeated a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. The closely watched vote came months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis. Dan described Bolojan as the 'most suitable person' for the job, which includes tackling a budget crisis. 'It is in Romania's interest for the government to be supported by a solid majority, and the parties have understood this,' he said. 'Romania's urgent priority is economic recovery, but ... you need a solid foundation.' Nomination will need to be approved by lawmakers Bolojan's nomination will need to be approved by parliament, and his government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. Responding to his nomination, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will continue discussions with political parties to secure a parliamentary majority, finalise the government, and define the governing program,' he said. 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and ... to show proper respect to the Romanian people.' Reducing Romania's considerable budget deficit—one of the greatest in the 27-nation EU bloc—will be one of the main challenges facing a new government. Deep social divisions in the nation were also made clear by the controversies that surrounded the presidential election. According to Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, the new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures for the economic and budget crisis,' he told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation ... (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections.' In the wake of the May presidential election, Bolojan, acting as president, named PNL's Catalin Predoiu to lead the cabinet after Marcel Ciolacu resigned when his coalition's candidate did not advance to the runoff.
San Francisco Chronicle
20-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Romania's new president nominates center-right former mayor as prime minister
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's new pro-Western president on Friday nominated a center-right former mayor to be prime minister, as the European Union and NATO member state seeks to usher in a new government to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. President Nicusor Dan nominated 56-year-old Ilie Bolojan of the center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, after a fresh round of talks Friday following weeks of deliberations. Bolojan previously served as acting president between February and May, when Dan decisively beat a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. That closely watched vote came months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis. At the presidential Cotroceni Palace in the capital Bucharest, Dan said Bolojan is the 'most suitable person" for the job, which includes tackling a budget crisis. 'It is in Romania's interest for the Government to be supported by a solid majority, and the parties have understood this,' Dan said. 'Romania's urgent priority is economic recovery, but ... you need a solid foundation." The president's nomination will need to be approved by lawmakers. A new government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. After he was nominated, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring, and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will continue discussions with political parties to secure a parliamentary majority, finalize the government, and define the governing program,' he said. 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and ... to show proper respect to the Romanian people." One of the biggest issues a new government will face is how to reduce Romania's large budget deficit, one of the highest in the 27-nation EU bloc. The presidential election furore also exposed deep societal divisions in the country. Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, says that a new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures, for the economic and budget crisis," he told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation ... (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections.' After the first round of the May presidential vote, Bolojan, as acting president, appointed Catalin Predoiu of the PNL to helm the government, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down after his coalition's candidate failed to make the runoff.
Hamilton Spectator
20-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Romania's new president nominates center-right former mayor as prime minister
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's new pro-Western president on Friday nominated a center-right former mayor to be prime minister, as the European Union and NATO member state seeks to usher in a new government to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. President Nicusor Dan nominated 56-year-old Ilie Bolojan of the center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, after a fresh round of talks Friday following weeks of deliberations. Bolojan previously served as acting president between February and May, when Dan decisively beat a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. That closely watched vote came months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis. At the presidential Cotroceni Palace in the capital Bucharest, Dan said Bolojan is the 'most suitable person' for the job, which includes tackling a budget crisis. 'It is in Romania's interest for the Government to be supported by a solid majority, and the parties have understood this,' Dan said. 'Romania's urgent priority is economic recovery, but ... you need a solid foundation.' The president's nomination will need to be approved by lawmakers. A new government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. After he was nominated, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring, and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will continue discussions with political parties to secure a parliamentary majority, finalize the government, and define the governing program,' he said. 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and ... to show proper respect to the Romanian people.' One of the biggest issues a new government will face is how to reduce Romania's large budget deficit, one of the highest in the 27-nation EU bloc. The presidential election furore also exposed deep societal divisions in the country. Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, says that a new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures, for the economic and budget crisis,' he told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation ... (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections.' After the first round of the May presidential vote, Bolojan, as acting president, appointed Catalin Predoiu of the PNL to helm the government, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down after his coalition's candidate failed to make the runoff . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
20-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Romania's new president nominates center-right former mayor as prime minister
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's new pro-Western president on Friday nominated a center-right former mayor to be prime minister, as the European Union and NATO member state seeks to usher in a new government to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. President Nicusor Dan nominated 56-year-old Ilie Bolojan of the center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, after a fresh round of talks Friday following weeks of deliberations. Bolojan previously served as acting president between February and May, when Dan decisively beat a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. That closely watched vote came months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis. At the presidential Cotroceni Palace in the capital Bucharest, Dan said Bolojan is the 'most suitable person' for the job, which includes tackling a budget crisis. 'It is in Romania's interest for the Government to be supported by a solid majority, and the parties have understood this,' Dan said. 'Romania's urgent priority is economic recovery, but … you need a solid foundation.' The president's nomination will need to be approved by lawmakers. A new government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. After he was nominated, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring, and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will continue discussions with political parties to secure a parliamentary majority, finalize the government, and define the governing program,' he said. 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and … to show proper respect to the Romanian people.' One of the biggest issues a new government will face is how to reduce Romania's large budget deficit, one of the highest in the 27-nation EU bloc. The presidential election furore also exposed deep societal divisions in the country. Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, says that a new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures, for the economic and budget crisis,' he told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation … (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections.' After the first round of the May presidential vote, Bolojan, as acting president, appointed Catalin Predoiu of the PNL to helm the government, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down after his coalition's candidate failed to make the runoff.
