Romania's PSD Asks President for PM Mandate as Grindeanu Presses Claim After Cotroceni Talks

Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) has asked President Nicușor Dan for the mandate to form a government, its leader Sorin Grindeanu said on Monday after a fresh round of consultations at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, the state news agency AGERPRES reported.

"The PSD, as the main party in Romania's Parliament, asked the President for the mandate of Prime Minister. I am the nominee, and this nomination was made several weeks ago," Grindeanu said, according to AGERPRES.

Dan had not announced his decision at the time of writing. The president is expected to designate a new candidate for prime minister after the talks with all parliamentary parties.

A fourth attempt to end the deadlock

Monday's talks were the fourth round of consultations Dan has held to designate a prime minister, after the first three options, Eugen Tomac, Adrian Veștea and Siegfried Mureșan, failed to produce a government, Digi24 reported.

Mureșan, a Liberal and the third prime minister-designate in the past five months, failed to secure Parliament's vote of investiture last week, AGERPRES said. According to Digi24, his proposed cabinet, backed by the PNL, USR and UDMR, received 182 votes in favour and 15 against on 30 September, short of the 233 votes needed.

"Part of the solution"

"The PSD wants to be part of the solution. The PSD wants us to have a Government quickly, a Government that will carry out a budget revision and draw up this year's budget," he said, AGERPRES reported. Digi24 quoted him as adding that the party wants Romania to enter 2027 with a new budget.

The PSD leader also signalled flexibility in the coalition talks. "We want to be part of the solution, we do not have the red lines that others have. We support solutions that we are part of," he said, according to Digi24.

Criticism of austerity

Grindeanu said the PSD wants a change in the way the country is run and criticised the austerity measures associated with former prime minister Ilie Bolojan.

"The austerity imposed by Ilie Bolojan is not the solution," he said, Digi24 reported. "I want us to have this solution quickly, a solution that gets us out of this political deadlock and changes the country's direction."

Who else is in the frame?

Before Monday's consultations, political sources cited by Digi24 named Grindeanu and interim finance minister Alexandru Nazare among the options under discussion for prime minister.

The PSD has argued for weeks that, as the party that won the most parliamentary seats in the 2024 elections, it is entitled to lead the government, Digi24 said.