Romania has the highest degree of ministerial instability in nine European countries analysed by the Bucharest-based National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA). Around 150 ministers have served at six ministries in the country since 1990. Romania is followed by Poland and Italy.

Romania changed its prime minister on average once every 1.9 years and only three out of the total 14 of PMs since 1990s had a full mandate. For comparison, Germany changed its chancellor once every nine years on average, while in Poland the average length of a prime minister's mandate was the shortest at just 1.7 years.

Highlighting Romania's political instability, the country has had no less than three prime ministers since the start of this year. Acting PM Dacian Ciolos was replaced by Sorin Grindeanu in January, but the new premier was forced out just five months later to be replaced by Mihai Tudose. 

Meanwhile, a minister’s mandate in Romania lasted on average 1.2 years in the past 27 years, the shortest the analysed countries. A similar situation is seen in Bulgaria, where a minister’s mandate lasted on average 1.3 years. On the other hand, in Germany the average mandate was 3.2 years.

“The frequent governmental/ministerial changes in Romania (through reshuffles or other forms of political crises) indicate a larger symptom, which has become a characteristic of the Romanian governments, when compared both with western states with consolidated democracies (Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain) and Eastern European states, with young democracies, apparently similar to Romania (Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary),” the SNSPA’s Centre for the Promotion of Participation and Democracy noted.

The study analysed public data from nine countries related to the central government and six ministries: education, healthcare, defence, foreign affairs, internal affairs and transport.

Romanian political instability was the steepest in the sectors of healthcare and transport, which had the highest turnover of ministers - 25 in 27 years. There was more ministerial stability at the defense and foreign affairs ministries.