3-9 May, 2026

A look at the headline-making events this past week

Roxana Vasile, 09.05.2026, 14:00

The political crisis in Bucharest continues

In recent weeks, Romania has seen an escalation of tensions within the former governing coalition comprising the PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR. Disagreements primarily related to the 2026 state budget, as well as other domestic economic policy issues, led to the PSD’s decision on April 20 to withdraw its support for the Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and demand his resignation. As a result, from his refusal to step down as head of the four-party cabinet to the Social Democrats’ exit from the government and the filing of a no-confidence motion in Parliament was just a small step.

The PSD and the nationalist opposition, represented mainly by the AUR party, tabled the motion, which passed on Tuesday with 281 votes, well above the minimum required to dismiss the government. On the same day, President Nicuşor Dan announced that he would hold consultations with the political parties to form a new government, assuring that it would also be pro-Western and appointed within a reasonable timeframe. However, for now, the views of the political parties that until recently formed a coalition seem irreconcilable! The PNL and USR have announced that they no longer wish to collaborate with the Social Democrats and that they will coordinate their decisions to evaluate future options. The UDMR would like to restore the same coalition that existed before the crisis began. The PSD hopes to restore the former majority, even in a new configuration, and is counting on the dissidents within the PNL.

Another option for the PSD is to join the opposition. Although not invited to the consultations, AUR—the second-largest party in Parliament after the PSD—would like to be part of the government, having contributed substantially to the fall of the Bolojan executive, but it will not support a cabinet of which it is not a part. From a constitutional standpoint, the PNL-USR-UDMR government, which was dismissed via a motion of no confidence, can function on an interim basis for 45 days. It has limited powers, however: it cannot issue emergency ordinances and cannot introduce new legislation…

Emergency Ordinances

…In fact, just before being dismissed, the government led by Ilie Bolojan adopted two emergency ordinances. One was designed to ensure that investments funded through the NRRP would not be halted and would meet the August 31 deadline for completion, so that European funds would not be lost. The acting Minister of European Funds, Dragoş Pîslaru, announced that Romania had submitted payment request number 4 under the NRRP, that all milestones and reforms had been met, and that it would receive, in the coming period, over 2.6 billion euros in non-repayable funds. From payment request number 3, Bucharest managed to recover over 350 million euros of the funds initially suspended, but lost more than 458 million euros due to delayed, incomplete, or poorly implemented reforms.

The second emergency ordinance adopted by the PNL-USR-UDMR government aims to adapt the legal framework to facilitate rapid investments in the defence industry. The government also approved the signing of the loan agreement between the European Commission and Romania regarding the European SAFE Program. Following the Finance Minister’s signature, the agreement, worth over 16.6 billion euros, is set to be approved by Parliament through legislation. SAFE makes 150 billion euros available to member states in the form of loans on favourable terms for investments in the defence sector and for the procurement of military equipment.

The President at the European Political Community Summit

Dozens of leaders from the European Union and partner countries, including President Nicușor Dan, attended the European Political Community Summit in Armenia, a platform for dialogue established after Russia invaded Ukraine. The agenda covered a wide range of topics, from support for Kyiv and the conflict in the Middle East to the fight against drug trafficking. Heads of state and government from 48 countries also discussed ways to cooperate more closely and coordinate their actions to strengthen democratic resilience, promote connectivity, and enhance economic and energy security. President Nicuşor Dan co-chaired, alongside the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, the roundtable discussion “Democratic Resilience and Hybrid Threats.” He also hosted, on the sidelines of the summit, an informal discussion on the impact of the Vertical Gas Corridor on regional energy security and participated in a new meeting of the coordination group for the Republic of Moldova, which aims to strengthen international support for Chişinău, a candidate for EU accession.

The 2026 Gopo Awards

The 2026 Gopo Awards were presented this week in Bucharest at a gala honouring the most significant achievements in Romanian cinema from the previous year. “Kontinental ’25,” directed by Radu Jude, received the award for Best Feature Film, while Igor Cobileanski’s film “Comatogen” was honoured for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Eszter Tompa was named Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Ben Schnetzer, of British origin, was named Best Actor in a Leading Role. The feature film in which the latter starred—”The Yellow Tie”—received by far the most Gopo awards, seven in total, particularly in the technical and visual design categories. The film dedicated to the great Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache also received the Audience Award. Gopo Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to director Laurenţiu Damian, actor Ovidiu Schumacher, and actress Dorina Lazăr.

Steaua Celebrates Its Anniversary

May 7 marked the 40th anniversary of the Bucharest football team Steaua’s victory in the European Champions Cup. The team made soccer history by becoming the first from Eastern Europe to win the coveted trophy in the final played in Seville against FC Barcelona. Goalkeeper Helmut Duckadam also made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after saving four consecutive penalty kicks in that memorable match. The victory in Seville remains, to this day, the most significant achievement in the history of Romanian football. (MI)