Romanian President Nicusor Dan on Sunday nominated Adrian Vestea, a senior member of the National Liberal Party and former mayor, as prime minister after his previous nominee withdrew from the role amid a lack of parliamentary support.
The move marks Dan’s second attempt this month to form a government following the collapse of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s administration in a no-confidence vote in May.
Vestea will now have 10 days to assemble a cabinet and secure a vote of confidence in parliament before taking office.
Dan announced the nomination after Eugen Tomac withdrew his mandate on Sunday morning.
Tomac had sought to lead a government of technocrats but failed to gain sufficient backing from political parties in parliament.
Explaining his decision, Dan said Vestea had progressed through multiple levels of public administration during his political career.
The president pointed to Vestea’s experience as mayor, county council president and development minister, as well as his record of attracting European funding for projects in Brasov County.
The nomination must still be approved by lawmakers before a new government can take office.
Parliamentary parties have previously indicated a preference for a minority political government rather than a technocratic administration.
Vestea, who served as development minister from 2023 to 2024 and currently leads the Brasov County Council, pledged to pursue reforms and maintain Romania’s pro-Western orientation.
He said he wanted a political government that would carry out meaningful reforms while focusing on national development.
Vestea also emphasized the importance of investment and economic growth, saying development would be a priority from the beginning of his mandate if confirmed.
The nomination comes as Romania faces significant economic pressures, including one of the highest budget deficits in the European Union, persistent inflation and a technical recession.
Reducing the budget deficit was a central goal when the coalition government took power in June 2025.
Bolojan’s administration had been tasked with helping resolve one of the country’s most severe post-communist political crises but remained in office for less than a year.
With the next general election not scheduled until 2028, lawmakers now face the challenge of determining whether Vestea can secure enough support to form a stable government.