Romania’s parliament on September 30 rejected the cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Mureșan, with 182 votes against and 15 in favour, compared to 233 needed for the nomination. The vote forces President Nicușor Dan to look at alternative steps to end the political crisis.

Under the constitution, the president can dissolve parliament after a second failed investiture vote and after 60 days since the first failed investiture (both conditions are met at this moment), potentially paving the way for snap elections. However, Dan has repeatedly spoken out against early elections, saying they would prolong political and economic uncertainty.

Dan could nominate Sorin Grindeanu, leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest party in the current parliament, or call early elections. 

Dan initially designated his adviser Eugen Tomac as a technocratic prime minister candidate; then Tomac abandoned his candidacy at the president's request. The president's second nomination was the National Liberal Party's (PNL's) Adrian Vestea, a move seen as "hostile" by PNL since it was not coordinated with the party's leadership.  

Siegfried Muresan was one of the two nominations made by the two main political poles. He was backed by the centre-right PNL-UDMR-USR alliance, while the PSD favoured its own leader Grindeanu.

After the vote, Grindeanu reiterated that his party is ready to try to form a parliamentary majority and government.

The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) announced earlier this week that it had begun negotiations to form a majority, with the PSD broadly seen as the potential partner. However, AUR leader George Simion said in a speech in parliament that his party would not support a governing majority until former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu is released. Georgescu is under 30-day house arrest in a fraud case unrelated to politics.

Dan is now expected to either begin consultations with parliamentary parties on the next steps, make a new designation or dissolve the parliament.

Romania has been without a government with full power since the Social Democrats in partnership with AUR overthrew the government of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on May 5. Previously, PSD had formed a centre-right alliance with the centre-right PNL-UDMR-USR alliance in June 2025. The PSD accused PM Bolojan of autocracy while AUR, included in the no-confidence motion co-signed by the PSD, made more substantial accusations against the economic reforms drawn up by the ruling coalition in office since June 2025.