Europe’s Socialists face far-right reckoning after Romania deal

Key Points:

• Romania’s Social Democrats (PSD), a center-left party, allied with the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) to topple the centrist government, prompting criticism from European Socialists who accuse them of enabling extremist forces they previously vowed to isolate.
• This alliance highlights a growing challenge for mainstream parties across Europe, as the far right gains influence amid economic and migration pressures, forcing traditional parties to reconsider their political red lines for coalition-building.
• European Socialists in Brussels were reportedly unaware of PSD’s plans and have so far refrained from publicly condemning the Romanian party, with some officials emphasizing the importance of cooperation with pro-European forces.
• Critics argue the PSD’s move undermines the credibility of the Socialists in opposing far-right cooperation, while some Social Democrat lawmakers justify the alliance by differentiating national politics from EU-level cordon sanitaire agreements.
• The situation in Romania underscores tensions within Europe’s political landscape, where the rise of right-wing populism complicates governance and tests the unity and principles of established parties across the continent.