Photo: Lucian Alecu / Alamy / Profimedia
106 senators voted in favor of the bill, while 19 voted against it. All senators who voted against it were members of the USR, according to the Romania Journal.
The amendment provides for the termination of the powers of elected officials if a court has issued a final ruling on a conflict of interest or incompatibility of offices. It also applies to cases in which decisions were made before the law took effect.
Dominic Fritz falls under the scope of this provision. In June, Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice definitively upheld the ruling that a conflict of interest existed in his case. The case relates to an urban planning document that Fritz signed in 2020. If the law takes effect, Fritz will have to step down as mayor of Timișoara.
It should be noted that Fritz, a German citizen, was first elected mayor of Timișoara in 2020. In 2025, he became the leader of the USR. The bill must now be sent to President Nicușor Dan. He may sign the bill or return it to Parliament for reconsideration.
The Constitutional Court of Romania has already reviewed the controversial amendment and ruled it constitutional.
The passage of the law has also sparked controversy at the European Union level. Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, and Valeri Aier, head of Renew Europe, called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to consider suspending the payment of 770 million euros to Romania from the EU Recovery Fund.
Weber and Ayer stated that the amendment could be directed against Fritz and expressed concern about its implications for Romania’s democratic institutions.
A Commission spokesperson said the law will be assessed when reviewing Romania’s latest request for funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Bucharest must meet the requirements agreed upon with the European Commission by August 31. If the conditions are not met, the amount of the disbursement may be reduced.
Fritz himself had previously stated that the amendment was directed specifically against him. Following the final ruling in the conflict-of-interest case, he announced his intention to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
Until the law is signed by the president, Fritz remains mayor of Timișoara.
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