Romanian president nominates EU deputy Tomac as PM to end deadlock / Photo: Daniel MIHAILESCU - AFP
Romanian president nominates EU deputy Tomac as PM to end deadlock
Romanian president Nicusor Dan on Thursday designated pro-European MEP Eugen Tomac as prime minister after a month of wrangling since the last government leader was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
Negotiations to form a new coalition in the European Union and NATO member bordering Ukraine stalled as the president ruled out a government including the far right and pro-EU parties could not agree a candidate.
"Since the parties cannot agree among themselves, the only possible solution is a prime minister who is independent of the parties in parliament," Dan said.
He added that Tomac could steer Romania "in the direction the Romanian people want".
"That means a pro-Western stance, that means maintaining financial stability."
Tomac's appointment will need to be confirmed by parliament and it is unclear which parties would support him and join the government.
"It is both an honor and a responsibility," the 44-year-old Tomac said, adding that he would propose "a technical government, not a political one".
"I fully understand the difficult situation we are facing," he said.
On top of securing the necessary support in parliament to form a government, the country's president has made a priority of cutting the biggest deficit in the European Union.
A European parliament deputy in the Renew Europe group, Tomac is an honorary advisor to the Romanian president on relations with the Romanian diaspora.
A close associate of former president Traian Basescu, Tomac is head of the centre-right People's Movement Party, founded by Basescu in 2014, but which does not have a seat in the Romanian parliament.
Romania was plunged into political turmoil after the biggest party, the left-wing Social Democrats, quit the ruling coalition following unpopular measures to reduce the deficit.
They later teamed up with the main far-right AUR party to pass a no confidence motion that brought down liberal prime minister Ilie Bolojan.
Tomac has to gather 233 parliamentary votes to form a government and it was not immediately clear what support there would be.
Bolojan came to power following the annulment of presidential elections in December 2024, after allegations of Russian interference, and the subsequent election of centrist Dan as president in May 2025.
Born in Ismail district, which is now part of Ukraine, Tomac moved to Romania in the early 2000s, at the age of 16, under a government scholarship program for ethnic Romanians.
He studied history at the University of Bucharest.
Tomac holds Moldovan citizenship and is a strong supporter of uniting Romania and Moldova.
I.Pettersson--StDgbl
