Rarely has a motion of no confidence become such a tough and dangerous test for the parties involved.
PSD, positioned somewhere below 20% in the electorate’s preferences, according to internal polls, risked everything for the dismissal of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, hoping to form a new USL and remain in power, strongly connected to budgetary resources.
PNL, in the situation where the Hellvig-Bode-Thuma faction decides to support Sorin Grindeanu, if the motion passes and the party leader is dismissed from the position of prime minister, risks the collapse of overall public support, as well as a possible party split.
AUR, the extremist party led by George Simion, following the alliance with PSD to dismiss the government, alienates a part of its electorate, as well as influential supporters from the diaspora, who see social democrats as corrupt and pillars of the political system they aim to change.
USR and UDMR are less exposed parties, but will be forced to take a stance in case the no-confidence motion is supported by over 233 parliamentarians, next week.
Sorin, behave!
"I do not want, at this moment, when we are about to vote on the fall of the Bolojan Government, to make remarks about PSD," stated George Simion in a press conference, refusing to answer journalist Marius Gîrlașiu's question from Observator News about whether PSD is still a corrupt party.
However, George Simion's refusal contradicts the nature of the party he leads, AUR being a formation originating from the radicalization phenomenon of the diaspora protests against Liviu Dragnea after the odious attack by law enforcement forces on August 10, 2018, continuing with the development of an anti-system militancy accelerated by the government's restrictions during the pandemic.
The anti-PSD discourse was crucial in attracting supporters outraged by the high level of corruption among the members of this party.
The political movement created by George Simion, a controversial political leader, with connections to intelligence agencies in Romania, suspected also of being used by Kremlin's secret services, rose on a violent and critical message against PSD.
"Sorin (Grindeanu), behave! You have a criminal there, in the position of deputy prime minister. His name is Marian Neacșu. Yes, Sorin? This is your PSD. Sorin Grindeanu and this PSD deserve to disappear," declared George Simion in a public intervention on October 25, 2025.
"...don't act like a virgin, Sorin, when you've mingled with everyone, on all Nordis planes and more. It would be very good if those with dignity reminded Sorin Grindeanu of the blocks he took as bribes and about the trips with Nordis...," added the AUR leader.
Forgiving Voters
The above example is not an exception, but rather the communication rule of George Simion, who, in his statements, turned PSD into a punching bag, hitting to increase the involvement and anger of his supporters.
And it worked, AUR managed to attract many dissatisfied individuals with the state-party PSD, but who held conservative, nationalist, and anti-European positions.
"I do not shake hands with PSD, I am the only one capable of ending PSD in Romania. If we enter government with PSD, I will resign from all positions."
George Simion, AUR President, statement from 2024
This electorate has forgiven many of Simion's actions, from information and evidence that he is a Russian influence agent in Romania to a chaotic behavior in the presidential campaign, where he did everything not to win the confrontation but Nicușor Dan did.
But an alliance with PSD will be too much for a part of his electorate, and this is why George Simion avoided answering whether he still considers social democrats corrupt.
Association with PSD is Good
"This government must fall. And the reason why AUR has associated with PSD in this endeavor is a good one, expected by everyone, natural in the political landscape. We know very well that AUR, together with USR, ultimately caused the fall of the Câțu Government in 2021," stated Claudiu Târziu, MEP and party founder, for spotmedia.ro.
"I don't see why AUR with PSD couldn't do the same thing now with the Bolojan Government. It is perfectly legitimate, but turning this punctual, momentary partnership for a good cause into a long-term governance mistake is not only for the parties that committed it but for the entire Romania," added Claudiu Târziu, who is no longer a party member, leaving after a series of disagreements with George Simion.
AUR, a Possible Defeat
In other words, to achieve its goal of triggering early elections, AUR's message is that everything is permissible, even an alliance with the great political enemy.
What neither George Simion nor Claudiu Târziu say is that early elections are extremely difficult to provoke because, in the Romanian political system, parliamentarians have the final say in dismantling the legislative body.
In this situation, in fact, the AUR alliance with PSD is merely a political support for the social democrats in their conflict with Ilie Bolojan. It remains to be seen what effect such an association will have on the formation led by George Simion, which now enjoys support from approximately 35% of voters.
If the association between PSD and AUR only causes the fall of the Bolojan Government, but not early elections, this "will be perceived as a defeat, which it is ultimately. It will create the perception that AUR allowed itself to be used by PSD," MEP Claudiu Târziu further stated for Spotmedia.ro.