Skip to content

All sections

Politic

259 articles in this section

LanguageROEN

Politic -2

SAFE programme funds channelled to Romania's Interior Ministry and SIG Sauer

A PressOne investigation reveals how money from the EU's defence autonomy programme ended up at Romania's Interior Ministry and at the German-American arms maker SIG Sauer.

  • SAFE programme funds were directed to Romania's Ministry of Internal Affairs, outside normal defence channels.
  • Beneficiary SIG Sauer has partial American ownership, contradicting the programme's European autonomy goals.
  • Romania's Constitutional Court will rule on a SAFE-related procedural dispute on 10 June.

Read

Politic -3

Interim ministers' mandates expire. Romania heads toward a constitutional deadlock

The 45-day constitutional deadline for forming a new government falls on June 19, and with talks stalled, Romania is entering uncharted legal territory.

  • The constitutional deadline for a new government expires on June 19, 2026.
  • The Constitution does not specify what happens if the 45-day window closes without a solution.
  • Talks remain blocked; Eugen Tomac is the frontrunner but lacks a confirmed majority.

Read

Politic +1

Russia Today contributor expelled on landing at Bucharest airport

Irish journalist Chay Bowes, a regular contributor to the Russian state propaganda outlet RT, was denied entry into Romania and turned back shortly after landing.

  • Irish journalist Chay Bowes, an RT contributor, was expelled from Bucharest's Henri Coandă Airport on Tuesday.
  • Romanian authorities refused him entry without providing a public explanation.
  • RT has been banned across the EU since 2022 as a Russian state disinformation outlet.

Read

Politic -2

PSD and PNL block return of mayoral runoff elections

The Senate rejected a proposal to reinstate two-round voting for mayors and county council presidents, with 56 votes against and 48 in favour.

  • The Senate voted 56-48 against reinstating a runoff round in local elections.
  • PSD, PNL and UDMR opposed the bill; AUR, USR and PACE supported it.
  • Romania has used single-round voting for mayors since a 2016 PSD-backed reform.

Read

Politic -3

A pro-Georgescu flautist backed by AUR joins Romania's Cultural Institute board

Nicolae Voiculeț, a musician with a track record of extremist sympathies, has been elected to the board of the Romanian Cultural Institute on an AUR nomination.

  • Voiculeț, a Georgescu sympathiser and AUR activist, joins the ICR board of directors.
  • He ran unsuccessfully on AUR's 2020 Senate list in Prahova County.
  • ICR promotes Romanian culture abroad and holds a sensitive diplomatic role.

Read

Politic 0

Miruță: no decision yet on removing DNA-investigated army chief

Romania's interim Defence Minister says the law allows him to propose dismissing General Vlad Gheorghiță, but that no such conclusion has been reached.

  • Miruță confirms the law empowers him to propose General Gheorghiță's dismissal.
  • The minister says no conclusion has been reached that such a move is warranted now.
  • The general is under DNA investigation; security tensions remain high after the Galați drone incident.

Read

Politic -3

Romania's top judicial body rejects pay reform bill: caretaker cabinet has no right to legislate

The Superior Council of Magistracy says the public-sector pay bill was initiated in breach of the Constitution by a government that no longer holds full legislative authority.

  • CSM: the public-sector pay bill was initiated in breach of the Constitution.
  • Core argument: a dismissed government lacks the authority to introduce new legislation.
  • The bill also contradicts the statutory status of magistrates, the Council says.

Read

Politic -1

AUR sets its terms: own premier or no vote for any government

Senate group leader Petrișor Peiu ruled out any parliamentary support for a cabinet unless AUR itself nominates the prime minister.

  • AUR will only support a government it leads — with its own prime minister.
  • The constitutional deadline for a new cabinet is June 19, 2026.
  • Eugen Tomac remains the frontrunner for designation by President Nicușor Dan.

Read

Politic -1

Miruță denies that defence ministry rigged Piranha armoured vehicle tender

Romania's Defence Minister publicly rejected claims that procurement criteria were altered to exclude the Piranha armoured vehicles from the selection process.

  • Minister Miruță denies the ministry altered criteria to exclude the Piranha vehicles.
  • The accusations surfaced publicly before the procurement procedure was finalised.
  • No documents were presented to confirm or refute the allegations.

Read

Politic -1

PNL rejects PSD-AUR candidates for Romanian Cultural Institute leadership

Liberal senate leader Daniel Fenechiu says his party will not back any candidate put forward through the PSD-AUR alliance.

  • PNL will not vote for any PSD-AUR candidate to lead the Romanian Cultural Institute.
  • Fenechiu called the PSD-AUR collaboration a "great love affair", distancing the liberals from it.
  • The ICR dispute mirrors the broader PNL-PSD fallout after the no-confidence vote.

Read