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Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has stepped down following a poor showing by his party’s candidate in the presidential election re-run, which saw far-right leader George Simion secure a dominant lead in the first round. Ciolacu announced his resignation on Monday, stating that the Social Democrats would also be withdrawing from the pro-Western governing coalition.
Although cabinet ministers will continue in an interim capacity, the resignation effectively ends the current coalition, with a new government to be determined after the presidential run-off scheduled for 18 May. Ciolacu, addressing reporters after a party meeting, remarked, “This coalition is no longer legitimate… The next president was going to replace me anyway, that’s what I’ve read.”
Simion, the hard-right, eurosceptic leader of the AUR party, won approximately 41% of the vote on Sunday and is set to face independent centrist and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan in the final round. The coalition’s candidate, Crin Antonescu, failed to make it to the run-off, placing third.
Despite winning the most parliamentary seats in December, the Social Democrats were unable to dominate politically, as far-right parties—AUR among them—secured over a third of the seats, becoming a powerful political force. The outgoing coalition, which also included the centrist Liberals and the UDMR representing ethnic Hungarians, was formed to maintain Romania’s alignment with the EU and NATO.
With the Social Democrats’ withdrawal, forming a parliamentary majority that excludes the far right now appears unlikely. This raises concerns about Romania’s future direction, especially given the president’s wide-ranging powers, which include appointing the prime minister, vetoing key EU decisions, and overseeing national defence and intelligence bodies.
Currently under an interim president until the decisive vote later this month, Romania faces political and economic uncertainty. The caretaker government is unable to pass new legislation or implement policy, and the country risks a credit rating downgrade unless it undertakes significant fiscal reform to address its growing budget deficit.
Political analysts warn that a victory for Simion could further isolate Romania within the EU, deter foreign investment, and potentially destabilise NATO’s eastern frontier, where the country plays a vital logistical role in support of Ukraine amidst its ongoing war with Russia.
