Sources: PSD Plans Grindeanu Government with AUR and UDMR Votes Negotiated Individually

Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD) leaders are reportedly calculating a path to install Sorin Grindeanu as prime minister, relying on negotiated support from the ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and individual votes from the nationalist AUR party. Political sources suggest PSD is banking on the votes of national minorities, parliamentarians from SOS and POT, and 16 Liberal Party (PNL) members who defected after supporting Adrian Veștea.

This coalition, estimated at around 190 votes, would still fall short of the required majority. PSD hopes to secure the backing of the 30 UDMR parliamentarians. To achieve this, PSD is allegedly offering financial incentives to UDMR, promising funds from the Ministry of Development for Hungarian mayors and allowing UDMR to retain their current state secretary and prefect positions. This arrangement would effectively place UDMR in opposition while allowing them to benefit from government advantages, excluding only a few ministerial posts.

While UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor has not yet publicly aligned with the "sovereignist" AUR parliamentarians, PSD leaders are reportedly trying to persuade him to vote for the government and then transition to the opposition. The remaining votes needed, approximately 10 to 12, are expected to come from either disgruntled PNL members or from AUR. The AUR party itself appears divided, with a majority of its parliamentarians hesitant to associate with PSD to avoid damaging their anti-establishment image. However, sources indicate that a number of AUR senators and deputies are willing to vote for Grindeanu's government.