The exit from the government has become not only the new slogan adopted by the PSD, but also the way in which the coalition can be forced only what they want social democrats.
PSD leaders after parliamentary elections of 1 December 2024
The PSD was upset that USR was against the state funerals for Ion Iliescu and at the moment does not want to attend the coalition meetings, if it does not respect some clear desires: adopting the package for eliminating privileges, discussions on the budget rectification in order to continue the investments, as the interim leader said. The camp that opposes him, led by Titus Corlățean, a candidate for the head of the PSD, believes that “PSD is not consulted regarding government decisions”. Corlățean states that the position of the party is “unacceptable” and that the PSD silence in the last weeks should be analyzed in the Social Democrats. However, no Corlățean is a talk, he was silent when the Nordis file came over Marcel Ciolacu, as when Liviu Dragnea wanted to change the Criminal Code just to save himself from the accusations of the anti -corruption prosecutors.
PSD revolt, a blackmail formula
The PSD revolts not only as a blackmail formula against Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, but also against those who have led the party for the last five years and who have brought him to a historical minimum. Former Minister of Labor, Marius Budăi, asked not only to the Social Democrats in the Moldovan area, but also to the other colleagues from other parties to vote for the next censorship motion if the works on the A7 and A8 highways will be stopped. The prime minister answered that highways, railway, health, water and sewerage projects are a priority, but that there is not for all financing. The leader of PSD Arad, Mihai Fifor, spoke again about the exit from the government, accusing the USR of immaturity and demonstrating what the direction in which the Social Democrats are directed, who is looking for a pretext to slide: “Romania needs state people”, “not Bullying Usrist”.
Between pretexts and blackmail, the PSD camps are reconfigured before the Congress in the autumn to choose the new management team. At the same time, the way PSD opposes reforms of any kind has become a threat to the Bolojan government. I also say rating agencies. Moody's mentioned a month ago that “both internal and external factors increase the risk of additional growth perspective, which could complicate the effort of fiscal consolidation.” Moody's experts go in depth with analysis and conclude that the PSD has decreased in recent months (13% according to Inscop, July 2025), while PNL, USR and gold have gained ground: “The internal elections for the PSD management this autumn, as well as the rotation of the position of PNL Prime Minister in the PNL in 2027. The Fitch rating agency takes into account the same risks and adds that the two major parties in the ruling arc are already in disagreement in several respects, including the support of the progressive tax by the PSD.
Will the PSD follow the path of sovereigns?
Romania will receive the new qualifications according to the effects of fiscal consolidation measures: Fitch will announce on August 15, where the country, Moody's on September 12, and the most influential agency, Standard & Poor's (S&P) in October. Until then, the PSD's ankle game will continue, and behind the surface conditions it imposes, there are others that also belong to its own clientele.
The trends in the party can change, however, as Sorin Grindeanu, a moderate compromised by the 13th Emergency Ordinance in 2017, has said, which he gave as prime minister for the amnesty of corruption in general and for saving his party leader, Liviu Dragnea in particular. Grindeanu thus talks about the three currents in the party:
(1) The nationalist current, whose exponent was Dragnea and brought to the party “some very high percentages”. On this aisle you can register Corlățean, who never hid his sovereign reflexes, even when Nicușor Dan with George Simion remained;
(2) The current of the social-democracy of the European type, as it was in the time of Mircea Geoană, would register the MEP Victor Negrescu and his supporters;
(3) The original type current, as defined at Sorin Grindeanu: “The PSD must have its specificity in Romania” and “avoid registering in the line of classical European socialist parties”. Here he wants to remain Grindeanu, in the middle, not to upset the Brussels too much, but not to accept everything he is asked: to be outside the EU standards, than within his debates.
If at the PSD Congress wins the Corlățean wing, the party enrolls on the path of sovereigns, not only to recover the electorate gone to gold, but also out of belief, because there has always been a consistent group of nationalists among the socialists, sometimes hidden behind a European European.
Sabina Fati – DW
