Romania's pro-European parties agree to form coalition government

Romania's pro-European parties have pledged to form a coalition government, excluding hard-right groups, and may back a single candidate for the re-run presidential election after the vote was annulled, aiming to uphold reforms and tackle key challenges.

Romania's pro-European parties have made a clear commitment to establish a governing majority, effectively excluding the hard right, and may endorse a single candidate for the re-run of the annulled presidential election.

In the recent parliamentary election on Dec. 1, the ruling leftist Social Democrats secured the most seats. However, three ultranationalist and hard-right groups, some with overt pro-Russian leanings, also gained over a third of the seats.

The presidential election, held between the parliamentary ballot rounds, saw NATO-critic Calin Georgescu emerge unexpectedly as the frontrunner, raising concerns about potential Russian interference. Following this, the country's top court annulled the presidential vote on Friday, ruling that the process must be re-run.

The upcoming government in the European Union and NATO member state must now schedule a new presidential election, likely to take place in early 2025.

President Klaus Iohannis, who will remain in office until his successor is inaugurated, will appoint a prime minister. The current legislative term concludes on Dec. 21.

On Monday, the Social Democrats, their coalition partners, the centre-right Liberals, the opposition Save Romania Union, and the ethnic Hungarian party committed to forming a pro-European administration.

In a joint statement, the parties affirmed they would collaborate with national minorities to draft a governing programme focused on development and reforms aligned with the priorities of Romanian citizens.

Political analysts anticipate challenges in achieving consensus among the parties, which have often disagreed on key policies, particularly measures required to reduce Romania's budget deficit—the largest in the EU at 8% of GDP.

Tax increases, widely considered necessary by analysts, credit rating agencies, and the EU, may further undermine public support for the coalition.

The parties are also exploring the possibility of backing a single pro-European candidate for the presidential election to counter the growing popularity of ultranationalist groups.

Prosecutors are still investigating Georgescu’s campaign, leaving it uncertain whether he will be permitted to stand in the re-run election.

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