Romania’s establishment government collapsed Tuesday in a successful no-confidence vote brought by the Social Democrats, a pro-Israel party, and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, a conservative right-wing pro-Israel party.
The outgoing government, which may return in one form or another, maintained Romania’s strategic partnership with Israel—but took distinctly pro-European positions, including adopting the European embargo on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by Romanian President Nicușor Daniel Dan.
The Social Democrats recently left the governing coalition over major policy differences on economic issues with liberal parties in the government and relations with the European Union. The party joined the opposition led by Israel and Netanyahu supporter George Simion, head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians—and together they brought down the government.
According to polls, Simion’s right-wing party would win by a clear majority if elections were held today in Romania. His party runs on an anti-establishment, anti-European, and anti-immigration platform. The party leader also advocates support for the Trump administration in the U.S., and said during last year’s presidential campaign that he would move Romania’s embassy to Jerusalem.
Despite the encouraging polls, the chances of Simion coming to power are currently low. The Romanian president knows the right is leading in the polls—so the likely scenario is that he won’t dissolve parliament and will form a technocratic government backed by liberal forces in parliament.