Romania’s pro-European parties agree to form coalition government

The coalition will potentially endorse a single candidate in new presidential election.

Romania’s pro-European parties have agreed to form a majority government in a move that will shut out far-right nationalists.

The leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD – which topped the polls in the December 1 election – reached an agreement late on Tuesday to form a coalition with the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the reformist Save Romania Union party (USR), and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party.

The election also saw three ultranationalist and hard-right groupings, some overtly pro-Russian, win more than a third of seats.

The country’s parliamentary election followed shortly after a presidential vote in which the far-right, NATO-critic Calin Georgescu won the first round, prompting allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Days before the December 8 presidential run-off, the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential race.

“In the coming days, the four parties and representatives of national minorities will work on a common governing program based on development and reforms which will consider the priorities of Romanian citizens,” said a statement from the newly formed coalition.

The coalition said the parties would potentially support a “common pro-European candidate” in the new presidential election.

Whether Georgescu will be allowed to run in the new vote or not is still uncertain, with prosecutors investigating his campaign.

Elena Lasconi, the leader of USR who was set to face Georgescu in the annulled presidential run-off, said after the agreement was reached that “Romania is going through a very difficult” period and that cutting state spending and reducing bureaucracy would be part of the governing programme.

Analysts expect the four parties, which have often clashed on policy issues, will struggle to agree on certain economic measures.

The new government will also devise a new calendar for the presidential election, likely to be held in the first half of 2025.

Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis, who will stay on until a new president is sworn in, will nominate a prime minister. The current legislative term ends on December 21.