Romania's president to appoint Marcel Ciolacu as PM; new pro-European coalition to tackle budget deficit, tax hikes, and re-run elections after far-right meddling.
Romania's outgoing president Klaus Iohannis designated leftist Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to form a new government on Monday after three pro-European parties agreed details of a coalition that gave them a parliamentary majority.
The coalition government, which is expected to receive parliament's vote of confidence later on Monday includes Ciolacu's Social Democrats, centre-right Liberals and the ethnic Hungarian Party UDMR. Including minority representatives, the coalition controls about 54% of seats in the legislative.
Three consecutive ballots to elect a new president and parliament in the European Union and NATO state which shares the longest land border with Ukraine descended into chaos when a little-known far-right pro-Russian politician won the first presidential round on Nov. 24. Amid suspicions of Russian interference, the top court annulled the election.
The new government will need to approve a calendar for a new two-round presidential election. The three parties in the coalition agreed to back a single presidential candidate to prevent the far right from winning. Their candidate at the moment is Crin Antonescu, a former Liberal Party leader.
"I am aware it won't be an easy mandate, it is essential that this government regain investors' confidence," Ciolacu told reporters.
Romania's new cabinet will also have the daunting task of lowering the budget deficit from an expected 8.6% of economic output this year - the EU's largest - to around 7% in 2025 and ratings agencies and analysts expect tax hikes.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 13th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
Portugal's parliament approved a bill on Thursday (12 February), on its first reading, requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16-...
A bipartisan group of 37 U.S. lawmakers have written to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about parliament stalling proposed defence spe...
The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) won a decisive two-thirds majority in Friday's (13 February) general elections, a result expected to bring stabili...
Romania has reiterated its openness to discussions on a potential unification with neighbouring Republic of Moldova, following recent remarks by Moldova’s president.
A ministerial meeting was held in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, for the implementation of the Agreement on Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania.
The United States plans to cut the number of troops stationed on Europe's eastern flank, including soldiers who were to be stationed at Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base.
An explosion at an eight-storey apartment building in Romania's capital Bucharest collapsed floors, killing two people and injuring 12 on Friday, local media reported.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as Dawson Leery in the hit teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died aged 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Israel Trump hosted Netanyahu for closed-door talks focused on negotiations with Tehran, Gaza and wider rBenjamin Netanyahu ended a two-and-a-half-hour meeting at The White House on Wednesday without reaching agreement on how to move forward on Iran.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Türkiye and Greece signalled renewed political will to ease long-standing tensions during high-level talks in Ankara on Wednesday (11 February). Maritime borders, migration and trade topped the agenda as both leaders struck a cautiously optimistic tone.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 13th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Portugal's parliament approved a bill on Thursday (12 February), on its first reading, requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16-years old to access social media, in one of the first concrete legislative moves in Europe to impose such restrictions.
A bipartisan group of 37 U.S. lawmakers have written to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about parliament stalling proposed defence spending, saying that the threat posed by China has never been greater.
The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) won a decisive two-thirds majority in Friday's (13 February) general elections, a result expected to bring stability after months of tumult following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising in 2024.
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