Bucharest – February 4, 2026 – Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is facing growing opposition not only from rival political parties but also from within his own National Liberal Party (PNL), with Hubert Thuma emerging as a key challenger to his leadership.
Thuma Escalates Criticism of Bolojan’s Leadership
The internal dissent within the PNL is becoming increasingly public, raising questions about the stability of the governing coalition.
- Hubert Thuma has consistently voiced opposition to Prime Minister Bolojan’s policies, particularly regarding local taxes and budgetary decisions.
- A recent PNL meeting at Vila Lac saw Bolojan’s proposals for leadership changes in Bucharest sectors rejected, with Thuma highlighting the support from county council presidents.
- The Social Democratic Party (PSD), a coalition partner, is also expressing dissatisfaction with Bolojan’s leadership, led by Sorin Grindeanu.
- Dissatisfaction extends to other coalition members, including the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR).
Thuma referenced a PNL meeting held at Vila Lac where a proposal to dismiss liberal leaders from four sectors in Bucharest was defeated. “For some time now, there’s been the idea that PNL members with PSD sympathies have allied against Mr. Bolojan… that we’d ‘sold out,’” Thuma wrote on Facebook. He argued that the opposition wasn’t simply a matter of party allegiance, pointing out that three county council presidents from Brașov, Giurgiu, and Ilfov opposed the dismissals, even with the Giurgiu representative mandating Thuma to represent their shared viewpoint.
Analyzing the branches that opposed the dismissals, Thuma concluded that the proposal was rejected by individuals with “very good electoral results, who cannot be accused of being ‘the bad PeSeDists of the PNL.’” He implicitly signaled his disagreement with the dismissals, stating that the vote against was motivated by a desire for “a fair and constructive discussion, a serious analysis from which it will be clear where we need to make changes and for what reasons.”
Coalition Tensions Mount Beyond the PNL
The political landscape in Romania is currently complex, with the PSD serving as the primary opponent to Bolojan’s government. Sorin Grindeanu, the PSD president, admitted in January that he would like to see Bolojan removed from office, citing inflexibility and a disregard for coalition proposals. However, Grindeanu also noted that the timing isn’t ideal, given pending appointments to the heads of the secret services and the ongoing discussions surrounding the 2026 budget.
The first public criticism within the PNL came from Thuma on January 9, when he accused the Bolojan government of raising local taxes and fees. On January 26, Thuma intensified his attacks, resurfacing a video of Bolojan from 2017 related to the 2026 budget, which remains under debate. He followed this on February 3 with a direct warning: “We want a serious analysis that will clearly show where we need to make changes.”
Further complicating matters, Nicoleta Pauliuc, first vice-president of the PNL, requested Bolojan to reconsider two measures impacting vulnerable populations during a January 19 meeting at Vila Lac. Pauliuc’s concerns centered on the elimination of the first day of sick leave without pay for chronically ill patients, particularly those undergoing cancer treatment, and the potential withholding of disability and minimum inclusion income for unpaid local taxes. However, Bolojan reportedly responded that he would no longer make exceptions, stating he “prefers to be the bad man.”
On February 2nd, Bolojan faced further opposition from Adrian Veștea, another PNL first vice-president, who blocked a vote on branch heads during a PNL meeting. MEP Rareș Bogdan also signaled his discontent with Bolojan’s leadership in mid-January, stating, “from now on I will speak,” after a year of silence.
Ilie Bolojan assumed the role of Prime Minister of Romania in June 2025 and became President of the PNL in July 2025.
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