November 11, 2025
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 11.11.2025, 13:55
Reforms. Leaders of the parties in the governing coalition in Bucharest have been invited by President Nicuşor Dan for talks on reform projects concerning magistrates’ pensions, administration, and next year’s budget forecast, when deficit restrictions will be even tighter. The meeting is taking place ahead of a coalition meeting, which is expected to reach a final decision on how to reintroduce the bill raising the retirement age and reducing magistrates’ pensions, after the Constitutional Court explained why it rejected the law. So far, coalition leaders have failed to reach a compromise, and time is running out before the new deadline on which a considerable amount of the NRRP, €230 million, depends, which would be conditional on the reform of special pensions. Another delayed project is the one on administrative reform and layoffs in local government. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojean has recently stated that, in addition to staff and spending cuts, the administrative reform includes several provisions to increase the capacity of local councils to collect taxes, transfer powers and responsibilities, and other measures to streamline local activities.
Elections. In most of the constituencies where by-elections are being held on December 7 in Romania, the period for submitting candidacies has begun. However, this is not the case for the position of president of the Buzău County Council (southeast) or for that of mayor of the capital. In these two cases, candidacies can only be submitted starting Wednesday. For the position of mayor of Bucharest, which became vacant after former mayor Nicuşor Dan became head of state, the candidates are Daniel Băluţă (PSD), Cătălin Drulă (USR), Ciprian Ciucu (PNL), Liviu Negoiţă (PUSL), and journalist Anca Alexandrescu, supported by AUR. The election campaign will begin on November 22 and end on December 6.
Femicide. The Ministry of Justice in Bucharest is proposing a legislative initiative to punish femicide with life imprisonment. The minister responsible, Radu Marinescu, argues that “there must be maximum firmness on the part of the law enforcement agencies.” A bill to combat femicide was already submitted to Parliament at the end of October and aims to recognize the concept of femicide in Romanian law and classify its various forms in order to identify appropriate measures to prevent and combat this phenomenon. Other provisions in the draft legislation include: the elimination of the requirement for a prior complaint in cases of rape and sexual assault, and the recognition of the seriousness of crimes committed in a context where the perpetrator exercises control or domination over the victim or in the presence of a child, and the need for unconditional intervention by initiating criminal proceedings ex officio in cases of domestic violence . The subject returned to the spotlight after a woman was killed by her ex-husband, even though she had issued a protection order against him.
Drones. The Ministry of Defense in Bucharest announced today that possible fragments of Russian drones were found 5 km inside the country after a Russian night attack on Ukrainian ports on the Danube. Weather conditions prevented Romania from scrambling fighter jets, and the population in the area was alerted to take shelter, the ministry added. Romania, which shares a 650 km border with Ukraine, has repeatedly found fragments of Russian drones that have fallen on its territory and has repeatedly faced violations of its airspace.
Visit. The new Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Munteanu, will visit Bucharest on Thursday, November 13. This will be the first foreign visit paid by the Moldovan head of government since taking office. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, will be received by Romanian President Nicuşor Dan, and will also hold talks with representatives of the Romanian Parliament. He will also meet with Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown.
Ghyka. In Focșani (southeastern Romania), tributes continue for the last ruler of the Principality of Moldavia, Grigore Alexandru Ghyka, whose remains were repatriated from France, where he died in exile. He will be reburied on Wednesday in Iași (northeast), his capital at the time. Ruler from 1849 to 1853 and 1854 to 1856, promoter of profound reforms and militant for the Union of the Romanian Principalities, Grigore Alexandru Ghyka paved the way for modern Romania, historians say.
Cooperation. Romania must expand its economic relations beyond the borders of the European Union, said Minister of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism Radu Miruţă during a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “We have valuable resources, real skills, and partnerships that are worth building with confidence,” said Radu Miruţă. According to a press release, the minister was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from November 7 to 11 to attend the 26th meeting of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism). Among other things, the event discussed strategic directions for the sustainable development of global tourism, digital innovation, and the strengthening of regional partnerships. Radu Miruţă held a series of bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening Romania’s cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as with the states participating in the meeting.
Veterans. We are still facing the most serious security crisis in Europe since the end of World War II, President Nicuşor Dan has stated on Veterans Day in the Theatres of Operations, an occasion to pay tribute to all the military personnel who has participated in missions in areas where Romania was and is present alongside its allies and partners. “Despite the negative effects of the Russian Federation’s aggressive actions at the European level, our country remains a pillar of stability on NATO’s Eastern Flank, with a substantial contribution to regional and Euro-Atlantic security,” Nicuşor Dan emphasized. (MI)
