There is a point where PSD and President Nicușor Dan meet. The exit of the social democrats from the government could block the country at a time when the surrounding conflicts do not stop.
The head of PSD Grindeanu wants the disembarkation of Prime Minister Bolojan
The PSD believes that it can quickly disembark Ilie Bolojan from the head of the government in order to subsequently weaken his authority in the party and change the direction of the PNL. It is not very clear what is the real motive of the social democrats: why do they necessarily want to get rid of Ilie Bolojan after 10 months in which they accepted his decisions?
There are some clientelistic stakes, the Prime Minister suggested when he referred to the rats in the country's pantry and that he would have turned on the light and scared off those who would follow to feast on the common wealth.
Why doesn't the head of the government tell the truth? Where are the cracks through which rodents can slip, why are they not plugged, but especially who are those rats who got scared and now want to take it down? Perhaps the prime minister is signaling that he is ready for another compromise to preserve the coalition.
Risky game by the head of the PSD
The head of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu says that the social democrats are withdrawing from the government and that they are ready to appoint a new prime minister. This attempt to corner Ilie Bolojan could cost Grindeanu a lot, because several leaders in the civic area have announced protests against him.
In 2017, when Sorin Grindeanu was just a cardboard prime minister at the disposal of Liviu Dragnea, the street forced him to withdraw the Emergency Ordinance 13/2017 issued “in the night like thieves”, which changed the Criminal Code partially decriminalizing abuse of office, in such a way that the then president of the PSD escaped the criminal case that eventually led him to prison.
It was from those street movements that he lost the position of prime minister. The PSD finally ousted Sorin Grindeanu, after six months as prime minister, through a no-confidence motion, because he did not want to leave the top of the government, even though the rest of the cabinet had resigned.
Moreover, only 12% of Romanians trust Sorin Grindeanu (INSCOP, March 2026) and only 4.7% want him as prime minister (Political Rating Agency, April 2026). George Simion has the most trust (34%) and he is also wanted at the head of the government by the majority of voters (20.9). After him, however, Ilie Bolojan is in second place as an option for the position of prime minister (16.2%). In terms of credibility, the second place after the AUR leader is contested within a margin of error by the president Nicușor Dan (27.6%) and Ilie Bolojan (25.1%).
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan maintains his popularity despite harsh austerity measures
Who and why bothers Ilie Bolojan
The maintenance of Bolojan's popularity, despite the changes in fees and taxes, the acute economic crisis and the decrease in purchasing power, bothers both Nicușor Dan and Sorin Grindeanu. Both resent the prime minister's sympathy, which grows as the equation against him becomes more apparent.
Unlike President Nicușor Dan, who promised during the election campaign that he would put justice to work, and then brought to the top the prosecutors who buried the big files and who preferred the PSD table, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan kept his promises. He did not run for Cotroceni, although he would have had the first chance, he did not give in to the populism demanded by the PSD and he did not respond to the pressure of the magistrates when he changed their pensions. Moreover, he said that he will not run against Nicușor Dan in four years.
PSD wants to get rid of Bolojan because he is losing the electorate with his eyes. The president, in turn, seems unhappy with the constant comparison with Bolojan and especially with the fact that the people who once supported him are gathering around him. In addition, Nicușor Dan is worried about the possibility of a suspension, because it could be the end point of his political career. Grindeanu's fear of losing the party and President Dan's fear of losing his seat seem to combine against the prime minister.
George Simion and AUR have a say in the power games in Bucharest
What's next?
However, Ilie Bolojan stated that the head of state did not ask him to resign. Instead, he didn't even make statements to show his support. So the prime minister remains in his position and the PSD withdraws its ministers.
What's next? It all depends on GOLD. The social democrats announced that they do not want to submit a motion of censure, the liberals said that they will no longer govern with the PSD if they break the governance protocol.
Everything seems stuck. PSD is waiting for AUR to file a no-confidence motion to throw Bolojan overboard: a part of AUR would not want to join the social-democrats train, and George Simion sets the condition that the future prime minister will be Călin Georgescu. PNL, on the other hand, can only govern with USR and UDMR, but will not be able to pass any important law without PSD or AUR.
How did the radicals come to arrange the cards of power? With the help of the president Nicușor Dan and PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu.
Sabina Fati – DW
