A political crisis began on 1 September 2021 in Romania, engulfing both major coalition partners of the Cîțu Cabinet, namely the conservative-liberal National Liberal Party (PNL) and the progressive-liberal Save Romania Union (USR). The crisis also involved former prime minister Ludovic Orban (PNL), who was set to face Prime Minister Florin Cîțu (PNL) in a leadership election during the party congress on 25 September, with the latter eventually replacing the former. Orban would eventually resign from his position as President of the Chamber of Deputies, with him and his supporters subsequently splitting from the PNL, in order to form the Force of the Right (FD).
The crisis was sparked by disagreements over the so-called Anghel Saligny investment program meant to develop Romanian settlements, which was supported by Prime Minister Cîțu but was severely criticized by USR PLUS, whose ministers boycotted a government meeting. In response, Prime Minister Cîțu sacked Justice Minister Stelian Ion (USR) and named Interior Minister Lucian Bode (PNL) as interim, igniting a crisis. In retaliation, USR PLUS submitted a motion of no confidence (also known as a motion of censure) against the Cîțu Cabinet together with the nationalist opposition party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) and by 7 September, all USR PLUS ministers resigned on their own. The following day, Prime Minister Cîțu fired all secretaries of state and prefects named in their respective positions by USR PLUS.
The PNL leadership election caused the debate on the motion of no confidence to be postponed until after the congress, following a complaint to the Constitutional Court of Romania submitted by Cîțu. Subsequently, the major opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest political force in the Parliament, submitted a second motion of no confidence, which was read on 30 September 2021 and by which the Cîțu Cabinet was dissolved on 5 October 2021. Subsequently, President Klaus Iohannis designated Dacian Cioloș of USR as prime minister, followed by Nicolae Ciucă of PNL, however the proposal for the former was rejected by the Parliament and the latter stepped back. Throughout most of November 2021, negotiations between PSD, PNL and UDMR for a new majority took place, after which Ciucă was designated again by Iohannis as prime minister on 22 November. The crisis finally ended on 25 November, after the Ciucă Cabinet took office.
All throughout this period of time, the political crisis had a somewhat severe impact on the economy, as well as public health, both having been already affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Background In December 2020, legislative elections were held, in which the governing party (PNL) performed poorly, positioning second after the PSD, the main opposition party at that time. As a result of the PNL's defeat, then-Prime Minister Ludovic Orban announced his resignation as PM. Nicolae Ciucă, then-Minister of Defence, became acting head of government until the formation of a new cabinet.
Subsequently, Orban announced that Florin Cîțu is the PNL's proposal for prime minister. A multi-party coalition (PNL–USR–PLUS–UDMR/RMDSZ) was formed to govern Romania after the 2020 legislative elections, with Dan Barna (USR) and Hunor Kelemen (UDMR) becoming Deputy Prime Ministers. Out of the 21 ministers of Florin Cîțu's cabinet, USR PLUS had 7 ministers, while PNL and UDMR/RMDSZ combined had 13 ministries. The only ministerial position to be occupied by an independent was that of Foreign Affairs, where Bogdan Aurescu remained minister.
The first and second PNDLs were started by the governments of the Liviu Dragnea-led PSD, and as of August 2021, had still not been fully implemented. Nonetheless, the government was considering implementing the so-called Anghel Saligny national investment program, also known as "PNDL 3" due to its similarity with the first and second PNDLs. USR PLUS positioned itself in opposition of a PNDL-like program, on the grounds that "it would give the opportunity to allocate funds to local barons".
Timeline Beginning of the crisis A government meeting was scheduled for 1 September 2021 to approve the "Anghel Saligny investment program". It was boycotted by USR PLUS on the grounds that it lacked transparency and the funds could be misused, with a press release stating "USR PLUS supports the development of the rural localities in Romania, but not through programmes that encourage the waste of public money on political grounds. The money from the former National Programs for Local Development from the PSD time reached the pockets of the local barons. We refuse to be part of replicating this practice of discretionary fund allotments to the party client bases and of bad investments that led to nowhere in the real development of the rural areas". In response, Prime Minister Cîțu sacked Justice Minister Stelian Ion (USR) and named Interior Minister Lucian Bode (PNL) as interim, stating that "I will not accept ministers in the Romanian government who oppose the modernisation of Romania. Blocking the activity of the government only because you do not agree to develop the communities means violating the mandate given to you by parliament through the governing programme". A coalition meeting took place afterwards, but no consensus was made. Bode stated that Saligny would be approved in his interim mandate, emphasizing that his ministry is pronouncing on the project's legality rather than opportunity.
At that time, the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) was already planning a motion of no confidence (or motion of censure) aimed to the government led by Cîțu, which would be submitted only after attracting at least 234 parliamentarians that were against the government (as required per Article 113 of the Constitution), after its first attempt from June 2021 to dissolve the government failed with 201 votes "for" and 1 "against". Sorin Grindeanu stated that "whoever wants this government to fall will sign no other motion than that of PSD", entitled "Stop poverty, price increases and criminals! Down with the Cîțu Government!".
On 2 September 2021, Rareș Bogdan announced that the National Permanent Bureau of the National Liberal Party (PNL) unanimously voted for the continued support of Cîțu as prime minister.
USR–AUR no-confidence motion After lifting confidence on Cîțu, USR PLUS announced on 3 September 2021 that it lodged its own motion of no confidence against the government together with the opposition party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), entitled "The firing of the Cîțu Government, the only chance for Romania to live!", which parliamentarians of the PSD would vote. Prime Minister Cîțu asked for the honorary resignation of all USR PLUS ministers, stating that it would get in touch with the leaders of the European Union and the United States on their party of origin's "toxic" alliance with the AUR working against the will of the Romanians. Nonetheless, the Anghel Saligny investment program was approved in the absence of USR PLUS ministers. USR PLUS would shortly afterwards criticize the approving, referring to it as a "brand new OUG 13 abuse".
On 4 September, President Klaus Iohannis called USR PLUS' alleged anti-governmental alliance with AUR an "affront" brought to the Romanians who at the 2020 Romanian legislative elections decided the direction Romania should go, and asked USR PLUS on his behalf "to weigh very well the implications of the association with the objectives promoted by AUR and to return to the table of dialogue with the rest of the governing coalition to find a solution for unblocking the governmental situation". At another press release during a visit to Switzerland, he did not consider the "governmental thingy" worrying. Dacian Cioloș stated that his party doesn't and will not have a political project with AUR.
Breakup in the governing coalition The co-presidents of USR PLUS, Dan Barna and Dacian Cioloș announced on 6 September 2021, that all USR PLUS ministers will be resigning by 7 September from their positions. In response, Prime Minister Cîțu fired all secretaries of state, prefects and subprefects appointed by USR PLUS, Thus, the Cîțu Cabinet effectively became a PNL-UDMR minority government.
USR PLUS compared Prime Minister Cîțu to Liviu Dragnea, former president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), accusing Cîțu of ousting secretaries of state "for no reason other than to appoint his own people that serve his interests, and of buying votes in his party with the money of the Romanians through the 'Anghel Saligny' program".
In a press conference on 7 September, the first vice-president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, declared that the motion of no confidence submitted by USR PLUS and AUR "is an insult and says nothing but that the Prime Minister did not follow the protocol", calling the party's ministers' resignations "a proof of hypocrisy". In the meantime, Dacian Cioloș proposed that the three-party coalition government continue with a prime minister appointed by his party, USR PLUS, which was considered "frivolous" by Cîțu, who appreciated that the National Liberal Party "is and will be the biggest right-wing party in Romania and that it can't be imposed a Prime Minister by any other party". Cioloș confirmed his position on 29 September.
Defense attempts by the prime minister On 8 September 2021, Prime Minister Cîțu complained to the Constitutional Court of violation of constitutional provisions by the Parliament regarding the manner in which it was initiated and submitted and the way it was communicated to the government, despite previously accusing President of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban of "accelerating the process of dissolving the government".
The PSD voted in the reunited permanent bureaus for postponing the day the motion of no confidence submitted by USR PLUS and AUR is voted in the Parliament, along with the remaining member parties of the coalition government and the minorities, until the Constitutional Court pronounces. Ludovic Orban did not vote, subsequently accusing violation of the rule of law and calling the final results of the vote "unconstitutional". The day of 15 September 2021 was assigned by the Constitutional Court as the deadline until the Parliament and the government have to convey their points of view.
Ciolacu justified the PSD's move around the fact his party respects the Constitution and the laws of the country and that it is normal to wait until the court pronounces on Prime Minister Cîțu's complaint on the matter.
It had been rumoured that the PNL wanted for the motion of no confidence not to be voted in Parliament until after its congress, as Prime Minister Cîțu was a candidate for the presidency of the party alongside Orban, and as such wanted the former to retain his position in order for his chances to defeat the latter remain high. Prime Minister Cîțu stated it will ask for the firing of Orban and Dragu as presidents of the chamber of deputies and of the Senate respectively if his government will be given justice.
Parliament scandals For the reunited plenary session of the Romanian Parliament on 9 September 2021 at 16:00 EEST for reading the motion of no confidence submitted by USR PLUS and AUR on 3 September 2021, President of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban delegated his duties to the vice-president, Florin Roman (PNL), to allow him to focus on his campaign for the presidency of the National Liberal Party (PNL).