Romania’s government survives no-confidence vote over reform plans

BUCHAREST, Dec 15 (Reuters) – Romania’s broad coalition government survived a no-confidence vote on Monday over its economic policies and reform plans but its biggest party voted with the hard-right opposition in a separate motion against a cabinet minister.

The coalition has now survived six no-confidence votes since taking power half a year ago, mostly over tax hikes and spending cuts aimed at reducing the EU’s largest budget deficit and preserving Romania’s investment-grade rating.

But the four parties have so far struggled to agree on reform measures at every step and the budget plan for 2026 has been delayed until January.

The leftist Social Democrats, the largest party and key to maintaining a pro-European majority, have threatened to quit unless Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan agrees to raise the minimum wage next year.

They have also demanded the dismissal of Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu over a water supply shortage earlier this month. Buzoianu, from the junior centre-right Save Romania Union, is reforming the ministry’s forestry and water agencies, long seen as politicised.

On Monday, Social Democrat lawmakers voted to keep the government in power but in a separate non-binding motion against Buzoianu they sided with the opposition.

She has declined to quit and both Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and centrist President Nicusor Dan have said they saw no reason for any cabinet minister to resign at present.

JUDICIAL PENSIONS

The government is also trying to raise the retirement age for judges and prosecutors and cap their pensions in a second attempt after the country’s Constitutional Court rejected an earlier version of the bill in October.

The court, which has a history of blocking pension cuts, will rule on the latest challenge on Dec. 28.

A second failure could weaken the fragile four-party coalition. Judicial pension reform is a condition for accessing European Union recovery and resilience funds.

The government plans to gradually raise the retirement age for judges and prosecutors to 65 from about 50 over 15 years and cap pensions at 70% of final salary.

The no-confidence motion comes amid street protests after hundreds of judges and prosecutors alleged systemic abuses in the justice system.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie. Editing by Mark Potter and Nick Zieminski)