Romania's coalition government is on the verge of collapse after the Social Democrats (PSD) withdrew their ministers from cabinet last week, stripping conservative Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan of his parliamentary majority. An unusual alliance of the PSD and the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) has announced a no-confidence vote against Bolojan, whose austerity drive — including a planned rise in the retirement age for public servants — proved too contentious for his coalition partners. The crisis matters well beyond Romania's borders: the country is NATO's second most important eastern-flank member after Poland and a key transit route for military aid to Ukraine, and AUR leader George Simion openly opposes such support and has been declared persona non grata by both Ukraine and Moldova.