Editing Politics of Romania (section)

=== 2020–2024===

The [[2020 Romanian local elections]] which were held on 27 September were won by the PNL. Nonetheless, on 6 December, the PNL finished second in the [[2020 Romanian legislative election]]. The election was won by the oppositional [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democrats]] (PSD) who came in first. Shortly after the official results came out, Orban resigned from his position as PM and was replaced by [[Nicolae Ciucă]] as acting/ad interim PM.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55222276|title=Romanian PM Ludovic Orban resigns after poor election result|work=BBC|date=7 December 2020|accessdate=15 April 2021}}</ref>

In the meantime, the national liberals proceeded to negotiate the formation of a coalition government alongside USR PLUS and UDMR for a reportedly stable center-right governance for the next four years in Romania. The newly designated PM was therefore [[Florin Cîțu]], a member of the [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]] (PNL), who took office on 23 December 2020, after forming a three-party, center-right coalition consisting of the PNL, the [[USR PLUS]], and the [[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania]] (UDMR/RMDSZ).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/florin-citu-romania-national-liberal-party-government-prime-minister|title=Liberal Florin Cîțu put forward to be Romania's next prime minister|date=19 December 2020|accessdate=15 April 2021}}</ref>

Subsequently, in early September 2021, USR PLUS decided to exit the [[Cîțu Cabinet]] and so the three centre-right party alliance was officially disbanded, inadvertently leading to the major [[2021 Romanian political crisis]] which lasted for nearly three months, until [[Nicolae Ciucă]] was invested PM along with the [[Ciucă Cabinet|CNR cabinet]] in late November 2021.<ref>{{cite web|language=ro|url=https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/politica/parlamentul-se-intruneste-pentru-votul-de-investire-a-guvernului-nicolae-ciuca-1748869|title=Miniștrii Guvernului Nicolae Ciucă au depus jurământul la Cotroceni. Klaus Iohannis: A fost nevoie să se treacă peste multe orgolii|work=Digi24.ro|author=Bogdan Păcurar|date=25 November 2021|accessdate=12 December 2021}}</ref> On 15 June 2023, [[Marcel Ciolacu]] (PSD) was sworn in as the new Romanian Prime Minister. Rotating premiership had been long agreed as part of a deal by the ruling coalition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Changing of the guard in Romania |url=https://www.kas.de/en/country-reports/detail/-/content/changing-of-the-guard-in-the-coalition |website=kas.de |language=en |date=15 June 2023}}</ref> Since the investment of the [[National Coalition for Romania|CNR]] cabinet, Romania has been experiencing a clear shift towards [[authoritarianism]], [[illiberalism]] and has the characteristics of a [[hybrid regime]] behind a constitutional facade.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fanatik.ro/pnl-si-psd-imping-romania-catre-un-regim-autoritar-amendamentul-surpriza-din-legea-anti-ong-folosit-impotriva-presei-ne-ducem-intr-o-directie-foarte-periculoasa-20316603 | title=PNL și PSD împing România către un regim autoritar. Amendamentul surpriză din legea anti-ONG, folosit împotriva presei. "Ne ducem într-o direcție foarte periculoasă" | date=20 February 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.g4media.ro/degradare-accelerata-si-fara-precedent-a-democratiei-in-regimul-iohannis-ciuca-romania-e-redusa-la-tacere-pnl-se-psd-izeaza-rapid.html | title=Degradare accelerată și fără precedent a democrației în regimul Iohannis-Ciucă. România e redusă la tăcere, PNL se PSD-izează rapid | date=29 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://romania.europalibera.org/a/riscul-democra%C8%9Biei-iliberale-in-romania-modelul-ungariei/31965186.html|title=Analiză &#124; Riscul democrației iliberale în România. Umbra serviciilor, plagiat, presă plătită de partide și proiecte secrete|first=Cristian|last=Andrei|date=1 August 2022|via=romania.europalibera.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bihon.ro/stirile-judetului-bihor/romania-iliberala-va-aduce-coalitia-psd-pnl-udmr-reformele-necesare-sau-se-va-ingriji-doar-de-clientela-politica-3868914/ | title=România iliberală? Va aduce coaliția PSD-PNL-UDMR reformele necesare sau se va îngriji doar de clientela politică? | date=7 December 2021 }}</ref>