Romania’s Prime Minister Resigns After Ruling Coalition’s Crushing Defeat in Presidential Election

Romania is engulfed in a deepening political crisis following Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu’s resignation on Monday, May 5, 2025. Ciolacu stepped down after the ruling coalition’s presidential candidate, Crin Antonescu, failed to qualify for the runoff in the recent presidential election, signalling a sharp loss of public support and legitimacy for the government.

Collapse of the Ruling Coalition and Loss of Legitimacy

The governing coalition, a broad alliance including Ciolacu’s Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), and the Hungarian minority party UDMR/RMDSZ, suffered a historic defeat. Antonescu secured only about 20% of the vote, trailing far behind nationalist candidate George Simion, who won nearly 41%, and independent Nicușor Dan, who narrowly qualified for the runoff with just under 21%.

Ciolacu declared that the coalition “has no legitimacy, at least in this formula,” and proposed that his party withdraw from government, implicitly leading to his resignation as prime minister. PSD ministers followed suit, resigning from their posts and leaving the government without a stable majority.

Rise of the Far-Right and Political Uncertainty

George Simion’s far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) won in the first round, reflecting widespread voter dissatisfaction with the political establishment and economic challenges. Simion, a vocal critic of the European Union and admirer of former US President Donald Trump, has accused Brussels of meddling in Romanian affairs and has promised to shake up the country’s political landscape.

The runoff election on May 18 will pit Simion against Nicușor Dan, a pro-European independent, in a race that could dramatically reshape Romania’s domestic and foreign policies. A Simion victory risks shifting Romania toward euroscepticism and nationalism, potentially straining its critical role within the EU and NATO, especially amid ongoing regional tensions related to the war in Ukraine.

Interim Leadership and Uncertain Governance

With Ciolacu’s resignation, Romania currently has no permanent prime minister. Ilie Bolojan has assumed the role of interim president, and PSD ministers remain in caretaker roles for up to 45 days while coalition partners negotiate the government’s future. There are no immediate plans for early parliamentary elections, but political analysts warn that the current government’s survival is precarious.

The crisis follows a turbulent election cycle, including the annulment of December 2024’s presidential vote due to allegations of Russian interference and irregularities favouring another far-right candidate, Călin Georgescu. Protests and political unrest have marked the months leading to the May rerun, underscoring deep divisions within Romanian society.

Romania faces an unprecedented political impasse with an interim president, no prime minister, and a fractured ruling coalition that has lost popular support. The upcoming presidential runoff will be decisive for the country’s leadership and its direction on the European and global stage. Political instability risks complicating Romania’s economic recovery and its strategic role in Eastern Europe during heightened geopolitical tensions.