May 20, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 20.05.2026, 13:55
Government. Romanian President Nicuşor Dan will on Thursday continue consultations with political parties to appoint a new prime minister, after Monday’s first round of talks ended without a majority being formed to support a future government. The Social Democratic Party wants a cabinet with full powers by July 1, but will not support one again led by the Liberal Ilie Bolojan. The National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union will not support a government, not even a technocratic one, that includes the Social Democrats, and the nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians has asked the president for a mandate to form the future government. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the group of national minorities will support a majority, but without the Alliance for the Union of Romanians. In order to be appointed by Parliament, a government would have to obtain the votes of 233 parliamentarians. President Nicuşor Dan called on parliamentary parties to show responsibility and find a common position within a reasonable period of time. The current government led by Ilie Bolojan, made up of the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania was dismissed by a motion of no confidence, after the Social Democratic Party left the government.
Reform. Romania’s Permanent Electoral Authority is in need of a comprehensive reform process, said the president of this institution, Adrian Ţuţuianu. He presented the Legal Committee of the Chamber of Deputies with the key points of a bill on the organisation and functioning of the Authority. The document will also be analysed by the Senate, and then submitted for approval to Parliament’s Permanent Bureaus. The reform process aims to restructure and reduce the number of positions. According to Adrian Ţuţuianu, although the Permanent Electoral Authority did not receive additional responsibilities, since 2015 there has been an increase of over 50% in its organisational chart. He also told the members of the Legal Committee about the bills that the Authority will submit to Parliament by the end of June regarding the functioning and financing of political parties. The institution is also working on new electoral laws that would regulate early elections.
Inflation. National Bank governor Mugur Isărescu said inflation could reach 11% in summer, before falling to 5.5% by the end of the year. The National Bank has revised its forecast for 2026 upwards amid domestic political instability and tensions in the Middle East. Mugur Isărescu says economic balances depend on how quickly a stable government is formed and on the continuation of the fiscal correction process. He believes that investments, especially those financed by European funds, remain the main driver of economic growth.
Award. Maia Sandu, the pro-Western president of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet state with a majority-Romanian speaking population, received the European Order of Merit in a ceremony held at the Strasbourg headquarters of the European Parliament. This distinction rewards significant contribution to continental integration and to promoting the values of the European Union. Maia Sandu said the merit belongs to the citizens of the republic, who chose Europe against all difficulties, and called for the opening of talks on Moldova accession to the Union.
Museums. The 22nd edition of the Long Night of Museums will take place in Romania on Saturday. This year, over 300 museums from across the country will open their doors to the public, offering guided tours, special exhibitions, chamber concerts and film screenings, with entry mostly free. The Long Night of Museums is a large-scale cultural event launched in 1997 in Berlin. Since 2005, the initiative has become a European brand dedicated to promoting heritage, being supported by the French Ministry of Culture, with the support of UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Romania officially joined the event in 2005. (CM)
