Romanian president ready to take a chance with new PM designation by next week

Notably, president Dan reiterated that he does not favour the early elections scenario, but added, for the first time, that “as the situation looks now, we can no longer exclude” this scenario, according to Digi24 and Euronews Romania.

President Dan gave an interview to Euronews Romania on September 14, on the sidelines of his visit to Finland. On this occasion, he announced that he intends to convene the parties for consultations and designate the prime minister this week, but did not mention the exact day. Later, the TV station announced the day, citing sources within the Presidency.

“Honestly, I expected more openness for dialogue [among parties] at the beginning of the parliamentary session [...] and a fragile majority for a government to materialise. Obviously, we cannot wait any longer, and a designation will follow. Let’s see what will happen following the designation,” said Nicusor Dan.

Both the identity of the next PM designate and the parliamentary majority behind him remain uncertain, with the media circulating this week the name of incumbent finance minister Alexandru Nazare. President Dan, attending the marriage of the interim minister, praised his performance, while Nazare himself made a statement broadly interpreted as implying his future designation.

The option of OECD membership negotiator Luca Niculescu was reportedly abandoned.

There are visibly no fundamental grounds to believe the president’s third designation will bear more fruit in the form of a government securing Parliament’s appointment vote. The sole circumstantial cause for a majority vote in Parliament, for Nazare or any other candidate, would be the urgency of having a government in office ahead of the S&P review and with a view to endorsing a 2027 budget that can only, under the current circumstances, be at best a compromise between the consolidation targets and the drag on any relevant reform.

Speaking of the early elections scenario, president Dan seems to accept the alternative as possible after more political leaders have radicalised their positions and mentioned the snap elections option in their rhetoric.