Bolojan leaves the Liberal vote open

Interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday, 16 October, that the National Liberal Party (PNL) could vote to install the government of designated prime minister Luca Niculescu, but he refused to promise that support. The decision will be taken at a meeting of the party's National Political Bureau convened for Saturday, 17 October. Speaking to Digi24, Bolojan called the possible ballot a responsibility and necessity vote, arguing that the country cannot keep running under an interim government that cannot adopt ordinances or launch new policies.

He also gave a blunt assessment of the choice facing his party. He said that under normal conditions the right decision would be to abstain, and that the country is not in normal conditions.

“Under normal conditions, the most correct political decision is not to vote. We are not in normal conditions.”

A cabinet with 11 PSD ministers

The Niculescu cabinet is a mixed government that includes 11 ministers from the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Bolojan said he had not negotiated posts, including state secretary positions, and that his only talks with the designate covered budget balance, the deficit target and international commitments. He said any deal would be limited to installation and would last until the 2027 budget is approved, expected in January or February. The PNL reserves the right to back a censure motion, and Bolojan said the party will enter opposition from the week of 19 October while still letting useful government measures pass.

The current crisis began on 5 May 2026, when a censure motion removed the government Bolojan led. He blamed the PSD, with support from AUR, for the ouster, and said the interim government has spent more than five months unable to adopt new policies. Niculescu is the fourth prime minister designate that President Nicușor Dan has put forward to form a new executive.

Revolt inside the party

Adevărul, citing political sources, reported that several PNL county leaders told Bolojan it would be a mistake for the party to vote in favour of a government largely made up of PSD ministers. The leaders named include Adrian Cozma (Satu Mare), Dragoș Ciobotaru (Vrancea) and Virgil Guran (Dâmbovița). Deputy Octavian Oprea publicly said he will not vote for a government controlled by Sorin Grindeanu. Ciobotaru told Mediafax that the party cannot back the cabinet under current conditions.

“PNL cannot support this government under these conditions. Responsibility cannot be thrown onto the Liberals' table just to cover the consequences of other people's decisions.”

Adevărul also reported that the party's conservative wing will vote for the installation anyway, which would produce a favourable majority, although critical voices inside the PNL are growing louder.

Outlook and open questions

Bolojan said it was hard to predict how the cabinet would evolve if installed next week, but named two constants: a fragmented Parliament after the 2024 elections, and the PSD. He called the Social Democrats the most dangerous adversary for the Niculescu government and pointed to earlier cases in which PSD prime ministers helped bring down their own governments. Bolojan said the Liberals' vote would not be a political guarantee and framed it as a way to avoid further costs for citizens.

The Liberal decision will be taken at the Saturday meeting, and the outcome will determine whether the PNL moves into opposition as Bolojan has said.