Romania's ongoing governmental deadlock keeps Ilie Bolojan in the caretaker prime minister role more than five months after his PNL-USR-UDMR cabinet fell to a May 2026 no-confidence motion backed by the PSD and AUR. Negotiations under the latest prime minister-designate, Luca Niculescu, center on securing the 233 parliamentary votes needed for a new cabinet, with the PSD pushing for a broad coalition that includes the PNL and the Liberals reiterating their refusal to govern alongside the PSD. Bolojan has signaled PNL support for Niculescu's investiture vote while declining ministerial posts in any such arrangement, citing past coalition breakdowns and the need for a fully empowered government to handle budget rectification and spending limits. This impasse, marked by repeated failed nominations and party positioning ahead of potential parliamentary votes, sustains uncertainty over the timing of Bolojan's departure.