Over 30 civic organizations have sent an open letter to the Party of European Socialists (PES), demanding „urgent action” regarding what they describe as PSD’s proximity to the far right. The move comes after the submission of a censure motion in alliance with AUR, a gesture considered a breach of the commitments made by social democrats.
The initiative is coordinated by the Accept Association, and among the signatories are organizations such as ActiveWatch, the Center for Legal Resources, and Eco Ruralis.
### NGOs accuse PSD of breaching its commitments
Signatories recall that in May 2025, PSD pledged to the European socialist family that it would not collaborate with the far right.
„The Social Democratic Party committed to the Group of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament that it will never cooperate, normalize, or form coalitions with the far right,” the letter states.
However, organizations argue that this commitment has not been honored.
„PSD has not upheld its commitment to protect Romanian democracy from those who threaten its fundamental values,” the signatories affirm.
– [How Grindeanu struggles to convince moderate Europeans that the alliance with AUR does not mean extremism](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/opinii-si-analize/cum-se-chinuie-grindeanu-sa-i-convinga-pe-europenii-moderati-ca-alianta-cu-aur-nu-inseamna-extremism)
### Motion with AUR invoked as evidence of closeness
NGOs point to the submission of the censure motion on April 28, alongside AUR, as an example.
According to the document, PSD „submitted a censure motion in alliance with the far-right party Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) – a political party that, following the annulment of the 2024 presidential elections by the Constitutional Court of Romania, openly supported a candidate aligned with Moscow and continues to promote him for the position of prime minister.”
Additionally, signatories emphasize that „this is not a new alliance.”
### Criticisms regarding LGBT rights and blocked legislation
The letter also reviews the common positions of PSD and AUR in recent years on sensitive issues.
Between 2019 and 2022, the two parties „systematically opposed legislation on civil partnership,” blocking „even the most basic legal recognition and protection of family life for LGBT+ individuals.”
Moreover, in 2022, PSD and AUR „supported a bill on ‘gay propaganda’ in Romanian society – reflecting legislation introduced and adopted under Viktor Orbán’s regime in Hungary.”
### Accusations regarding weakening human rights institutions
Civic organizations argue that PSD is contributing to the weakening of key institutions in the field of human rights.
„In 2026, PSD blocked key appointments through parliamentary vote, deliberately leaving these critical institutions weakened,” the document states.
Signatories mention the situation of the Ombudsman, whose mandate has been expired „for almost two years,” as well as the deadlock at the National Council for Combating Discrimination, where mandates expired at the end of 2025, leaving the institution „paralyzed.”
### „Romania at a crossroads”
NGOs urge PES to intervene firmly and impose clear conditions on PSD.
„Civil society asks PES to send a clear signal that further violations of these fundamental values will have inevitable political consequences, including suspension or exclusion,” the signatories warn.
Ultimately, the organizations highlight PES’s responsibility in this context.
„At this critical moment, the Party of European Socialists and the S&D Group have a unique responsibility and opportunity to act as a reference point for their members, reaffirming, through a principled and constructive commitment, the values that unite the European socialist family,” the letter states.
The signatories believe that Romania is at a crossroads, and a strong intervention by European socialists could bring PSD back „on the path of its commitments to democracy, equality, and the rule of law.”
„We look to you as a source of leadership and coherence, capable of ensuring that the European project remains firmly anchored in protecting fundamental rights for all,” the organizations conclude.