Romania president nominates Adrian Vestea to form new government

Romanian President Nicusor Dan has selected Adrian Vestea, a National Liberal Party politician and former mayor, to try to assemble a new administration after the earlier nominee stepped aside.

“Eugen Tomac withdrew his mandate this morning and as such I nominate Adrian Vestea as prime minister,” Dan, who is a centrist, wrote Sunday on X.

Vestea, 52, currently heads the county council in Brasov, a county in central Romania. Eugen Tomac had been attempting to lead a technocratic government, but he did not secure enough backing from parliamentary parties.

Vestea, who was development minister between 2023 and 2024, said in a statement that his preference is for a “political government that will undertake real reforms and keep Romania on a pro-Western path”.

“We are the sixth largest country in Europe, and we need to put a major emphasis on development. Which I will do from day one,” he said.

Dan has now made two attempts this month to fill the prime minister’s office, following the May no-confidence vote that removed former Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. Romania is not due to hold a general election until 2028.

According to Dan, Vestea fits the job because his political career has taken him through several levels of public administration.

“He was a successful mayor, a successful county council president, a successful minister, and he attracted European funds, being focused on development, for example the Brasov airport, which is a success,” Dan said.

Parties in parliament had earlier indicated that a minority administration, one that does not control most seats, would be preferable to a cabinet made up of technocrats.

Vestea has 10 days to put together a government. To formally assume the post, he must also pass a confidence vote in parliament.

Romania is dealing with one of the European Union’s largest budget deficits, along with severe inflation and a technical recession. When a coalition took office in June 2025, it placed deficit reduction at the top of its agenda.

Bolojan entered office with a mandate to help close one of Romania’s deepest political crises since the fall of communism, but his administration survived for less than a year.