President Nicușor Dan likely to name independent Alexandru Nazare as prime minister

President Nicușor Dan announced that he will hold consultations with parliamentary parties this week, prior to his departure for the United States, to decide on a prime-ministerial nominee. The shortlist includes former finance minister Alexandru Nazare, former premier Sorin Grindeanu and former minister Siegfried Mureșan. Nazare, an independent with a reputation for fiscal competence, is favored because he can negotiate a coalition without party constraints.

Grindeanu would rely mainly on PSD’s 126 votes and lacks support from right-wing parties, while Mureșan counts only on PNL-USR and possibly UDMR, falling short of the 233 votes required. The president’s calculations also consider the looming Standard & Poor’s rating review, which could push Romania into junk status if fiscal discipline is not maintained. Nazare’s proposed programme stresses strict budget rules amid public debt exceeding 60% of GDP, as highlighted by recent Eurostat data.