The Social Democrats are trying to unbalance the budget amid volatile fuel prices and surrounding conflicts. The landing of the prime minister is postponed, but the political crisis could intensify.
PSD leader, Sorin Grindeanu
The PSD National Political Council decided that the social democrats will vote on the budget, but that the party does not give up on the amendments with the help of which the solidarity package can be implemented. It would be about 3.4 billion lei, while economic recovery measures are expected to be 2.2 billion. However, after long negotiations, the Minister of Finance spoke about 1.7 billion lei, while the PSD mentioned yesterday the amount of 1.8 billion. The Minister of Labor, Florin Manole, claims that the money for solidarity is mainly intended to support pensioners with small pensions, below 1500 lei, or between 1500 and 2000, before the Christmas and Easter holidays, help for children from poor families plus the exemption from contributions for social health insurance (CASS) for war veterans, for those with minimal incomes and for new mothers. Part of these expenses could be covered, if the parties would give up for a limited period the money they receive from the state budget.
Downward trend for PSD, according to sociological research
The PSD leader, Sorin Grindeanu, said that Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan would pursue the “deliberate impoverishment of millions of Romanians” through the “savage austerity” he put into practice, “leaving evasion untouched at 10% of GDP and ignoring arrears of 37 billion lei”, and the social democrats “refuse to participate in Romania's bankruptcy”. The PSD is part of the government and all the measures taken were bypassed by the social democrats. PSD voters have understood this game and some of them are migrating to AUR, as opinion polls suggest. Sorin Grindeanu thinks he can bring them back by endlessly repeating accusations against Ilie Bolojan.
PSD received 22% of Romanian votes in December 2024, but sociological research shows a downward trend for social democrats. There are differences between the polling houses, but the trend is obvious, that's why Sorin Grindeanu tries different rescue strategies. He threatened to call for a vote to overthrow the Bolojan government within the PSD, but the social democratic mayors need money, so they want to make sure they have the budgets they want first, so the change of prime minister is delayed.
Polls: More confidence in Bolojan than in Grindeanu
Sorin Grindeanu wants to force the liberals to come up with a prime minister like Nicolae Ciucă, obedient, without personality, without ambitions, without big goals, with skeletons in the closet, and who can be easily manipulated. PSD has a multi-directional plan through which it wants to achieve its goals:
(1) propaganda for the demonization of Ilie Bolojan;
(2) support for the opposition within the PNL;
(3) the tactic of the hypocrite, by agreeing to austerity measures and at the same time delimiting them.
For now, the social democrats' strategy is not paying off. The latest survey shows that, although AUR and George Simion are in first place with a tendency to stagnate, more than 25% of respondents continue to trust Ilie Bolojan, while only 12% still support PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu (INSCOP, March 2026).
The social democrats are afraid to go too far with the radicals
Since he is losing ground, the PSD leader is trying all solutions, including allying with AUR to vote on the budget amendments, but not only that. The social democrats are afraid to go too far with the radicals, although they have a lot in common. Not only because he would not regain his lost electorate, but also because he would lose credibility on the European front. They may not care much for Brussels, but they also don't want to end up isolated. The PSD understands that the majority of Romanians continue to be pro-European: 83% evaluate Romania's membership of the European Union as positive and want to remain in the EU (INSCOP, August 2025). The rise of the sovereignist phenomenon has not yet led to a decrease in Euro-enthusiasm, although 40% of Romanians believe that membership of the European Union limits national sovereignty (INSCOP, January 2026).
The social democrats have never been very pro-Western, they have kept the azimuth towards the West more than the front, and whenever they have the opportunity, they swing in the other direction. For them, the instability of the country in the international landscape dominated by war and rising fuel prices seems useful. They could be preparing to blow it all up after the Easter holidays, knowing in advance who stands to gain from this equation. At this point PSD could meet with AUR.
Sabina Fati – DW
