Romanian Opposition appeals First Fiscal Adjustment Plan to Constitutional Court against the Romanian Government
The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has lodged a constitutional challenge against the recently enacted austerity law by the Ilie Bolojan government, accusing the administration of bypassing democratic debate and imposing harsh fiscal measures. The law, which includes the increase of VAT to 21%, is aimed at curbing the growing budget deficit and is set to continue with second and third fiscal corrective packages.
The AUR, led by George Simion, describes the law as "profoundly unjust, unconstitutional, and a cynical abuse of power." The party alleges that the government misused the special assumption of responsibility procedure to push through the fiscal corrective package without proper parliamentary scrutiny. They also claim that the urgency invoked by the government to pass the law was a "gross fabrication," as the budget deficit emerged gradually and could have been addressed through normal democratic processes.
The key provisions of the legislation include the elimination of benefits for families with children, the freezing of salaries, the cancellation of legal compensation for unused leave, and the staggering of court-ordered payments. AUR denounces these measures as a "festival of poverty and injustice."
In addition, the party accuses the government of protecting five deputy prime ministers and hundreds of taxpayer-funded sinecures while allowing these individuals to ride in luxury cars, all while demanding austerity from the general public.
The constitutional challenge was filed at the Constitutional Court, which is now set to convene to review the law's constitutionality. If the referral is not accepted, the law will be sent to President Nicușor Dan, who has three options: to promulgate the law, to refer it to the Constitutional Court, or to return it to Parliament.
In response to the government's decision to push through the fiscal package, the opposition initiated a no-confidence motion, which ultimately failed in Parliament. AUR, however, has vowed to continue challenging the government’s fiscal policies both legally and politically, through public protests and further no-confidence motions.
As of mid-July 2025, the constitutional challenge is pending before the Constitutional Court, with no final ruling yet reported. The status quo remains as the government maintains the austerity law, while the AUR remains actively opposed and continues seeking other political and legal avenues to contest it.
The AUR, led by George Simion, considers the law a contentious issue in the realm of policy-and-legislation, accusing the government of politically manipulating the special assumption of responsibility procedure to bypass democratic debate. The party further asserted that the law is not only a General-news topic but also a "festival of poverty and injustice" due to measures such as the elimination of benefits for families with children and the increase of VAT.
