Bolojan Government, invested in record time; Opposition critical, pro-European coalition assumes reform

The government led by Ilie Bolojan, made up of the pro-European coalition formed by PSD, PNL, USR, UDMR and the National Minorities Group, passed the Parliament vote yesterday, with 301 votes in favor out of the 310 votes cast and 9 votes against. After the Parliament vote, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and the other members of the Cabinet took the oath of office at Cotroceni Palace in front of President Nicuşor Dan. The new Executive is led by Ilie Bolojan, confirmed until April 2027, who will be assisted by five deputy prime ministers, three of whom without portfolio, to which are added 16 ministers.

Before the investiture vote granted yesterday by the plenary of Parliament for the new Cabinet and for the government program, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said: "We will focus on restoring the budget balance, absorbing European funds, continuing investments, supporting the business environment and maintaining social solidarity. The government program is built on three fundamental pillars: order in public finances, as a basis for avoiding an economic crisis and for regaining the trust of investors, markets and citizens; good governance, as an engine of state reform, which will ensure an efficient, responsible administration adapted to current needs; respect for citizens, through quality public services, fairness in the public service and honest social policies, which encourage and respect work. Of course, we assume that some of these decisions will not be popular. But we must bear in mind that, in the absence of measures, Romania would decisively enter an area of fiscal-budgetary uncertainty, with the risk of losing contact with the European direction of development and high costs for people. and companies. In return, the implementation of state reform measures will lay the foundations for solid development for Romania. In the coming years, we have the opportunity to become a modern, stable and respected state, both internally and externally. Everything depends on our will to act correctly, directly and on time, without electoral calculations. In the face of external instability and internal polarization, this program proposes a different approach: without populism, without improvisation, without privileges”.

The government program proposes several structural reforms aimed at stabilizing public finances and ensuring economic sustainability. Fiscal measures include additional taxation through excise taxes, the application of a 10% CASS for pensions exceeding 4,000 lei, an increase in the dividend tax to 16%, taxation of gains from stock market transactions, taxation of banking transactions, consolidation of VAT thresholds at two levels (19% and 9%), adjustments to excise taxes and property taxes, elimination of some tax exemptions and the start of the listing of state-owned companies on the stock market.

The hearing of the ministers from the Bolojan Cabinet took place quickly, with them passing through the specialized parliamentary committees in three and a half hours, which displeased the parliamentarians of the political opposition made up of AUR, SOS and POT. Before the hearing, the leaders of the governing coalition signed the political agreement that stipulates that a government reshuffle will occur in April 2027, with the PSD to nominate a prime minister who will lead the government until December 2028.

Basically, the new government has the following composition: Ilie Bolojan (PNL) - prime minister, DragoşAnastasiu (independent) deputy prime minister "for reforming the state apparatus, IonuţMoşteanu (USR) as deputy prime minister and minister of defense, MarianNeacşu (PSD) and BarnaTanczos (UDMR) deputy prime ministers, and CătălinPredoiu (PNL) deputy prime minister with portfolio at the Interior. Florin IonuţBarbu (PSD) kept his portfolio at the Ministry of Agriculture, Attila-ZoltanCseke (UDMR) remained at the Ministry of Development, while BogdanIvan (PSD) moved from the Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism to the Ministry of Energy. Radu Marinescu (PSD) remains Minister of Justice, Finance is taken over by the liberal Alexandru Nazare, who will have a difficult mission in almost the next two years, Daniel David, the former rector of Babeş-Bolyai University, remains Minister of Education, Radu Miruţă (USR) takes over the Ministry of Economy and Digitalization, his party colleague Diana Buzoianu becomes Minister of Environment, while Oana Ţoiu (USR) became Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of Health is Alexandru Rogobete (PSD), the social democrat Petre Florin Manole took over the portfolio of the Ministry of Labor, and his party colleague Ciprian ConstantinŞerban, former President of the Chamber of Deputies, is the new Minister of Transport. Former MEP Dragoş Pislaru (co-president of REPER) became Minister of Investments and European Projects, and the Ministry of Culture will be headed by Demeter Andras Istvan (UDMR).