Romania
Romania keeps key interest rate at 6.5%
National Bank of Romania maintains a cautious stance amid persistent inflationary pressures, political uncertainty and external risks linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
Romania risks losing €15bn in RRF funds amid reform delays
Only seven of Romania's 45 targets and milestones under the Recovery and Resilience Facility have been fulfilled; the remaining 38 must be completed by the end of August.
Romania’s industrial output shrinks by 2.8% q/q in Q1
Latest figures indicate a return to the longer-term downward trend in Romanian industry after a temporary rebound in 2025.
Romania’s economy contracts by 1.7% y/y in first quarter
Fiscal consolidation measures and weaker domestic demand weighed on activity.
Romanian president sees technocratic cabinet as viable option to resolve coalition deadlock
No prime minister candidate commands majority support in parliament, given the entrenched positions adopted by political parties after the collapse of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet.
Romania’s trade deficit narrows 9.3% to €7.7bn in Q1
Decline in imports reflects weaker domestic consumption and subdued economic activity amid ongoing fiscal consolidation measures.
Seven out of ten Romanians back unification with Moldova
Reunification issue has returned to public debate in recent months amid regional tensions and Moldova’s efforts to advance towards the European Union.
Romania’s retail sales post third consecutive quarterly decline in Q1
Annual decline in retail sales volume index reflects lingering effects of the VAT increase introduced in August 2025, weakening consumer confidence and tighter household budgets.
Far-right AUR and Social Democrats topple Romania’s reformist prime minister
President Nicușor Dan is expected to push for the formation of a new “pro-European” governing majority, but negotiations will be difficult.
Romanian PM’s fate hinges on unpredictable fringe MPs ahead of no-confidence vote
Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s political survival now rests on a small group of radical and unaffiliated MPs, whose opaque calculations are set to decide the outcome of a no-confidence vote scheduled for May 5.
Romania's far-right AUR surges to first in polls amid government collapse
George Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians has emerged as Romania's most popular party in current polling, according to Politico, as the country's experiment in pro-European grand coalition government collapses.
Iran-linked shock’s impact on Emerging Europe seen milder than 2022 crisis, says wiiw economist
Severity of current shock in Emerging Europe linked to Iran war unlikely to match the 2022 crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Croatia pushes stronger financing role for Three Seas Initiative at Dubrovnik summit
With global uncertainty driving demand for resilient supply chains and energy diversification, leaders said the initiative could play a larger role in Europe's economy provided it can secure investment.
Why global population collapse will keep the wars coming
Demographers warned for decades that ageing, declining states grow more dangerous, not less. The wars now spreading from Eastern Europe to the Gulf to East Asia look increasingly like the opening engagements of a long contest over who outlasts whom.
Inconsistent messaging on Turkey shows EU cannot pretend to be geopolitical power, says analyst
Gaffe or not, remarks from European Commision president played into hands of Turkish politicians who want Ankara to pursue closer ties with Moscow and Beijing.
Emerging Europe weathers Iran war shock, but risks mount, wiiw says
Higher energy prices, weaker trade and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on the region’s outlook, according to new forecasts from the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies.
Bulgaria, Romania lag EU peers on digital skills, Eurostat data shows
Around 40% of all EU citizens lacked at least basic digital skills in 2025, despite 93% using the internet at least once a week.
Romania’s Social Democrats align with far-right AUR to topple PM Bolojan, deepening political crisis
The move sharply escalates the country’s political crisis and brings the government to the brink of collapse, with the early elections scenario closer than ever.
Romanian PM installs interim cabinet, announces reforms after PSD withdrawal
Social Democratic Party withdrew its six ministers from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet, triggering a shift to an interim government.
Central and Eastern Europe emerges as new defence industry hub, KPMG says
Region is undergoing "a decisive moment of industrial transformation" driven by rising military spending, supply chain restructuring and the war in Ukraine.