November 4, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 04.11.2026, 13:55
Visit. The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, is today hosting Elbridge Colby, the United States Under Secretary of War for Policy. Colby, the second-highest ranking official at the Pentagon, is one of the key figures responsible for the review of the U.S. military posture in Europe. Last summer, he played a significant role in the decision to suspend the delivery of air-defence missiles to Ukraine. Marius Lazurcă, National Security and Foreign Policy Advisor to President Nicușor Dan, held a series of meetings in Washington last week with high-ranking U.S. administration officials, including Elbridge Colby. Today, President Nicușor Dan is also meeting the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
Statistics. The average purchasing power per capita in Europe has risen to 21,153 euros in 2026, while in Romania it stands at 11,283 euros, the country thus falling from 31st to 32nd place in the European rankings, according to a study published today. Residents of Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Iceland have significantly higher incomes than those in the rest of Europe, while at the opposite end are the inhabitants of Ukraine, Kosovo and the Republic of Moldova. In many European countries, purchasing power remains concentrated in capital city regions. In Romania, residents of the Bucharest region have a purchasing power more than twice the national average. Purchasing power represents disposable income, the amount remaining after the deduction of taxes and mandatory contributions, and also includes state-provided benefits.
US elections. The Democrats have secured a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the midterm elections held on Tuesday, with sweeping wins deep in the Republican strongholds, Reuters reports. The agency notes that the scale and reach of this “Democratic wave” are increasingly evident as the party has claimed wins in states long considered out of reach, in conservative strongholds such as South Carolina, Texas and Iowa. According to Reuters, this Democratic wave highlights the deep frustration among voters regarding President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy, as well as his decision to start a war against Iran in February, a move that has led to a spike in fuel prices. The pro-Republican outlet Fox News describes the election results as a seismic blow to President Trump. From January, Trump will have to deal with a hostile legislature, which is highly likely to block many of his policy decisions and launch investigations into several sensitive issues concerning the President and his allies in the MAGA movement.
Investments. Public investments in Romania went up by nearly 49% in the third quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, while the budget deficit remained below the projected level, at 1.81% of GDP, the Ministry of Finance has announced. With respect to the budget execution for the first nine months of the year, the deficit fell to 3.81% of GDP, down from 5.31% during the same period last year. Finance minister, Alexandru Nazare has warned, however, that meeting the year-end deficit target depends on the receipt of the final payments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which amount to over 4 billion euros.
Rain. Torrential rains and storms caused by a powerful Mediterranean cyclone have caused severe flooding in Romania, resulting in property damage across dozens of localities in several counties, travel disruptions and major disturbances, particularly to rail and maritime transport. Hydrologists are warning of the risk of flash floods and flooding. The Ministry of Environment has instructed local authorities to maintain round-the-clock readiness and to issue warnings to the public. Furthermore, it advises strict adherence to flood defence plans. Romania’s southern and southeastern regions have been worst hit, with red code alerts for flooding in place in some areas. In Constanța County, in southeastern Romania, the amount of rainfall has exceeded 80-90 liters per square meter in some areas, and emergency response teams have been working continuously to pump out water from dozens of homes, yards and basements.
Apps. Radio Romania International, the international service of Romania’s public broadcaster, Radio Romania, has launched new applications for Android and iOS. These can be downloaded free of charge from Google Play and App Store. The apps provide news and content, in text, audio, and video formats, in Romanian, 11 foreign languages and the Aromanian dialect. They also allow users to listen live to Radio Romania International’s three broadcasting channels. We’re also reminding you that you can also access content created by Radio Romania International via our website, at www.rri.ro, our podcast platform, at www.romaniainternational.radio, and our profiles on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and SoundCloud.
