The Siegfried Mureșan government did not pass the vote of confidence in Parliament on Wednesday. The proposed cabinet only received 182 „for” votes, 51 fewer than the 233 required to gain the Legislature’s trust.
This is the second government rejected by Parliament in the last three months. Previously, the Adrian Veștea Cabinet obtained 189 „for” votes.
Now the decision is once again in the hands of President Nicușor Dan, who currently meets the constitutional requirements to dissolve Parliament and trigger early elections.
Today's voting session began with a speech by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Mureșan, during which he briefly presented the government program.
He reiterated that no new taxes or taxes will be introduced, and the flat tax rate will remain the same. He also stated that his government program proposes reducing the number of parliamentarians and limiting the number of state secretaries at each ministry to three, as well as bringing order to state-owned companies in the first 12 months of the mandate.
Siegfried Mureșan called on parliamentarians to vote for the government, stating that "it presents a project for Romania, and you decide if we go down this path. We have a choice between a Romania that moves forward and a Romania that stays in place."
Next was the speech by PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu, who launched a series of attacks against the Prime Minister-designate. He accused him of "clinging to the seat" and "prolonging the political agony by another 10 days of crisis, to come in front of Romanians with a puppet government that never had a chance to form a majority."
Grindeanu reiterated that PSD will not vote for the Mureșan government. "It's a NO! PSD will only vote for a government that stands with Romania."
George Simion was notably the most spectacular: AUR will not vote for any other government variant until Călin Georgescu is released!
Spotmedia presented the most important statements from the voting day:
Official count:
- Total number of deputies and senators - 464
- Present - 321
- Total votes cast - 197
- Invalid votes - 0
- For votes - 182
- Against votes - 15
- The permanent bureau members have met to verify and count the votes cast.
- The vote of the senators has concluded.
- The vote of the deputies has concluded, followed by that of the senators.
- The vote for the Mureșan Government has begun.
- Siegfried Mureșan speaks again:
"The Bolojan government lit the torch, and we will keep the light on for all honest people. Let's reduce waste; this is not called austerity but justice. We come with seriousness and are ready to work for Romania."
- UDMR leader, Kelemen Hunor speaks:
"Romania needs a government. When a person loses patience, when society loses patience, they no longer trust institutions, politicians, and take matters into their own hands, and the reaction will be accordingly. They will choose what is worse for our country. They will choose extremes, they will choose populism, they will choose something that may look good, may sound good, but is like a picture of the desert at sunrise, a political kitsch."
- Diana Buzoianu (USR) speaks:
"A government with full powers is not a whim; it is a condition for reforms to continue. Do not be afraid; no one asks you to join the work, we only ask you not to look for reasons to block this country anymore."
- PNL leader, Ilie Bolojan speaks. (He was booed by PSD before his speech, and Grindeanu left the room while he was speaking).
"We are here to find a solution to end the crisis triggered by PSD and AUR. But it is not the same how we end it. A political solution is good if it solves the country's problems, not just installing a government. The Mureșan government comes with real solutions and avoids wasting efforts of the past year. The government was dismissed because it wanted to see reforms through and because we wanted to stop the squandering of public funds. State reform is not an accounting obsession but a matter of fairness. You cannot allow what you do not have because you are making a mockery of people. The no-confidence motion brought down a government but could not change reality."
"If you reject this program and choose crisis again, how can you claim to care about the country? If you are penalized by the markets, will you be held accountable? The fight in today's Romania is between change and stagnation, between the forces of modernization and the forces of regression. I urge you to vote to replace the current government, which has done its duty, with a stable one with full powers that Romania needs, the Mureșan Government! Be part of the solution for our country today."
- AUR leader, George Simion speaks:
"We are not traitors, we are not for sale, we remain loyal to the people. You have threatened us with these puppet governments, sent private jets after us, had television owners try to buy us on the black market of votes for this government. A vote has come to be traded for 100,000 euros. Be careful how you negotiate in the future. On my birthday, you arrested Călin Georgescu, and yesterday, before an important vote for the country, you sent him to prison, and you threatened me that I am next."
"We do not vote for this puppet government; we will not vote for any other government variant because you do not release him, and you do not do justice to Călin Georgescu. We all stand for one, and one for all; we defend Călin Georgescu and his family."
- PSD leader, Sorin Grindeanu speaks:
"For 150 days, the country has been completely blocked because the right refused to accept that Romania is heading in the wrong direction. Instead of rational solutions, you chose political war; you chose to cling to the seat, prolonged the political agony by another 10 days of crisis to come in front of Romanians with a puppet government that never had a chance to form a majority. This is not a government of Romania; it is another Bolojan government with more USR-ism in it. PSD says NO to this government program written with artificial intelligence. PSD will only vote for a government that stands with Romania. Siegfried Mureșan does not want to be the Prime Minister of Romania. He wants to be in Brussels."
"I do not understand why this gentleman keeps asking us for evidence that we are pro-European. While you were busy in Brussels attaching the cork to the glass, PSD was fighting and succeeding in getting Romania into Schengen. Together with colleagues from USR, who think they are in routine police movies, you are doing harm. You had no shame when you included in the PNRR the closure of coal-fired power plants, nor to systematically block the completion of hydroelectric plants, you voted in the EP against Romanian farmers."
- Siegfried Mureșan speaks:
"I want you to know that I desire a strong Parliament. I want the Romanian Parliament to be a strong institution, and I want the most important decisions for Romania to be made here, through your vote. I will always be completely open to the legitimate proposals you will make and to you. Today we tell people how we see Romania today. I present to you a project for Romania, and you decide if we go down this path."
"We have a choice between a Romania that moves forward and one that stays in place. We have a choice between reform and protecting the state. We have a choice between a strong Romania and a lonely Romania. And the government I propose is a government for a strong Romania, for a Romania of rules, laws, values, for a European Romania, and for a Romania that moves forward.
I propose to you a Romania that appreciates the efforts made by people in this past year of governance. Our country is more stable today than it was a year ago, thanks to the responsible work done by the Government of Romania in the last year, and for that, I would like to thank Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and his cabinet members, who were responsible in governance, were courageous, and worked for Romania this year."
"I propose a government that tells people the truth. We will govern based on competence and truth. We want a country where people live better. I thank Romanians from the diaspora and wish for them to come back home. To return home, they need more than bonuses and incentives. They need good jobs, comprehensive social services.
The flat tax remains the same, without new taxes and levies. As soon as we can afford it, we consider reducing VAT to 19%. We will eliminate over-taxation of part-time work for parents with multiple children. Pensions and salaries will be indexed in 2027. We will support childcare, access to First Home.
"In healthcare, we will develop regional centers for heart attacks and strokes. We will increase access to modern treatments. Energy assistance will go directly on the bill. We will invest in energy storage.
"The future of Romania starts in school. We will have a real plan to reduce school dropout rates. We will introduce more critical thinking, digital education. The children entering school today will work in a completely different world. Artificial intelligence is already here.
"Judicial independence is non-negotiable. The strong economies of the world have a functioning rule of law and a strong, independent judiciary. Without independent justice, there can be no strong economy. People and companies invest where contracts are respected and the law is the same. We have seen delegations, changes in panels, what we have seen in recent months worries us. That's why I proposed Andreea Chiș for Justice, an independent person with experience who knows the issues of justice. Chiș will be an independent minister for an independent judiciary."
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What's next
In case of a rejection vote of the Siegfried Mureșan Cabinet, the condition provided by the Constitution for triggering early elections is met, being the second government to fall at the vote in Parliament after Adrian Veștea's.
However, the decision on triggering early elections belongs exclusively to President Nicușor Dan, who has consistently stated that he does not want early elections, as he does not consider them a solution.
A statement repeated even on Tuesday evening, a day before Parliament votes on the appointment of the Government led by Siegfried Mureșan.
"It is time for this political crisis to end. It is time for parties to look beyond party lines, to look at the national interest. Early elections are not a solution - on the contrary, they would be a continuation of instability and lack of confidence for Romanian citizens and financial markets," said Nicușor Dan.
His statement came in the context where PNL is considering referring the Constitutional Court if the government proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Mureșan is rejected by Parliament, and Nicușor Dan does not call for early elections."