Ilie Bolojan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Bolojan in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister of Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 23 June 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Nicușor Dan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu Marian Neacșu Cătălin Predoiu Barna Tánczos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Marcel Ciolacu | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President of the Senate of Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 23 December 2024 – 23 June 2025[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nicolae Ciucă | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Mircea Abrudean | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ActingPresident of Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 February 2025 – 26 May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Marcel Ciolacu Cătălin Predoiu (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Klaus Iohannis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Nicușor Dan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senator of Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 20 December 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Bihor County | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President of theNational Liberal Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 25 November 2024[b] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nicolae Ciucă | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Ilie-Gavril Bolojan (1969-03-17)17 March 1969 (age 56) Vadu Crișului,Bihor County, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | National Liberal Party (1993–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | West University of Timișoara Politehnica University of Timișoara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|---|
|
 European Union portal |
Ilie Gavril Bolojan (Romanian pronunciation:[iˈli.eboloˈʒan]; born 17 March 1969) is a Romanian politician who has been serving as thePrime Minister of Romania since 2025. He formally held several public offices, includingactingPresident of Romania,President of the Senate, Mayor ofOradea, and President of theBihor County Council.
Following theNational Liberal Party's defeat in the first round of the later annulled2024 Romanian presidential election, and the subsequent resignation ofNicolae Ciucă, Bolojan became the party's acting president and was electedpresident of the Senate of Romania.[1]
On 12 February 2025, following the resignation of Iohannis, Bolojan became the acting president of Romania, serving untilNicușor Dan's inauguration on 26 May 2025 following his victory in the2025 Romanian presidential election. During his acting presidency, his term as president of the Senate was suspended and took office again afterDan's presidency began.
On 20 June 2025, Bolojan was named asPrime Minister of Romania by President Dan and was sworn in on 23 June 2025.[2]
Ilie-Gavril Bolojan was born on 17 March 1969 inVadu Crișului, a commune inBihor County, in theSocialist Republic of Romania. He is unrelated toVictor Bolojan [ro], a high-ranking Communist politician (Central Committee member 1969–1979) and diplomat.[3]
Bolojan graduated from theEmanuil Gojdu Mathematics-Physics High School in Oradea and studied mechanics (1988–1993) at theTraian Vuia Polytechnic Institute inTimișoara and mathematics (1990–1993) at theWest University of Timișoara.[4] He became a member of theNational Liberal Party (PNL) in 1993. During 1993–1994, he was a teacher at the Tileagd Auxiliary School.
Between 1996 and 2004, Ilie Bolojan was a local councilor of the town ofAleșd, and from 2004 a member of the Bihor County Council. In 2005 and 2006, he attended specialisation courses in public administration in France and at the National Institute of Administration inBucharest.
In the period 2005–2007, he wascommissioner ('prefect') ofBihor County, and in the period 2007–2008 he held the position of secretary general of the Government.
In 2008, Bolojan was elected mayor of the municipality of Oradea with 50.37% of the vote,[5] becoming the first mayor of the city elected in the first round after 1989. He started a program of administrative and economic reforms, modernising the infrastructure, rehabilitating the historic center and attracting investors, thus Oradea became more attractive from an economic and tourist point of view.[6][7] In 2012 and 2016, Bolojan was re-elected mayor, obtaining 66.08%, and 70.95% of the vote, respectively.[8][9]
In 2020, Bolojan was elected president of the Bihor County Council with 61.51% of the vote.[10] He continued to promote infrastructural development and investment attraction projects for the county, improving public services and creating a more efficient and transparent administrative system.[11][12][13]
Following the December 2024 parliamentary elections, Bolojan became a member of the Romanian Senate, and on 23 December 2024, he was chosen as thepresident of the Senate of Romania.[1]
Following the resignation ofKlaus Iohannis on 12 February 2025, Bolojan became acting president in accordance with thepresidential succession laws. During the handover ceremony, Iohannis greeted Bolojan at theCotroceni Palace and held a brief meeting with him.[14][15] He served as acting president until 26 May 2025, whenNicușor Dan'spresidency began following his victory in the2025 Romanian presidential election.[16]
During his tenure, the presidency of Romania saw a boost in reputation after the lackluster final years of theIohannis presidency, with more public appearances and media visibility.
In foreign affairs, Bolojan reiterated Romania's commitment to helping Ukraine during theRussian invasion of Ukraine with logistics and additional deliveries,[17] ensured stronger ties with southern neighborBulgaria[18] and had a major meeting with Emmanuel Macron regarding French military presence on NATO's Eastern flank,[19] though opposing the presence of additional nuclear weapons.[20]
Domestically, he was seen as a stabilizing force following the social and institutional crisis caused by theannulment of the Presidential elections months prior.[21] He promised a more organized and better regulatedpresidential election[22] and reiterated the obligation of national institutions to respect and serve the Romanian people.[23] Bolojan met with local banking associations to discuss and implement plans regarding EU funds absorbtion and investments in local businesses and infrastructure.[24] He also militated for an increase in defense spending in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War, saying "“defence is no longer a free service".[25]
His interim presidency came to an end on 26 May 2025 following Nicusor Dan's win in the presidential elections. After nearly a month of negotiations, he assumed the premiership after being named by Dan.
On 16 June, President Dan hinted that he would appoint Bolojan prime minister later that week,[26] with the coalition deal with the PSD being confirmed the following day. Under the agreement, Bolojan would be appointed prime minister but would have to leave office for a PSD member in 2027.[27] He was formally nominated on 20 June,[28] and confirmed by theChamber of Deputies in a 301 to 9 vote three days later.[29][30]
His term began during a period of high distrust in national institutions. The previous twoCiolacu governments left Romania with the highest inflation rate in the EU at the time of the beginning of his term (5.8% in June 2025)[31] and a budget deficit of 9.3% (also highest in the EU) of total GDP[32]due to excessive increase in spending; Marcel Ciolacu had previously ignored warnings from his Finance Minister,Marcel Bolos, about the deficit and inflation[33]
Bolojan collaborated with the ministers of his cabinet in order to tackle these two issues primarily, by adopting a number of unpopular economic measures, split into multiple packages. In the first package, theVAT was increased from 19% to 21%, marking the first hike since 2016. Additionally, the government consolidated its reduced VAT rates of 5% and 9% into a single reduced rate of 11%, applicable to a broad range of goods and services.[34] These tax increases were met with challenges: public protests and some limited threats of strikes and a no-confidence vote. Eventually, the measures passed successfully.[35]
The second wave of measures targeted the public sector: the government sought to downsize the administrative apparatus of multiple institutions which were the subject of unmotivated increases in personnel in the years prior, resulting in higher spending.[36][37] The numbers of employees were reduced nad remuneration capping were also targets of the measures.
A very pressing issue that has been present in Romanian society for a considerable number of years is that of judicial pension reform. Currently, magistrates and judges in Romania can retire a lot earlier than many other employees and also benefit from a much higher pension than average.[37][38] This was a signifcant measure that the prime minister sought to implement, but it was shot down byRomania's supreme court on 20 October 2025.[39]
Initially, Bolojan's premiership was met with public enthusiasm; however, the implementation of strict fiscal measures has elicited criticism from broader society. Among his peers, he is regarded as a serious, disciplined, and calculated politician. His governing ability, however, is currently constrained by the compromises required to maintain the coalition government he leads.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | President of theNational Liberal Party Acting 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of the Senate of Romania 2024–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of Romania Acting 2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Romania 2025–present | Incumbent |
| President |
| |
|---|---|---|
| Vice President | ||
| Members |
| |
