Romanian leu hits historic low against euro amid political uncertainty

Romanian leu euro exchange rate political uncertainty economic crisis Banca Națională a României

The Romanian leu has reached a new historic low against the euro, with the National Bank of Romania (BNR) setting the official exchange rate at 5.2788 lei per euro on September 23, 2026. This surpasses the previous record of 5.2688 lei set on May 6, 2026, following the dismissal of the Bolojan government.

The currency depreciation occurs amid significant political and economic uncertainty. Following the government's collapse, President Nicușor Dan nominated Zigfrid Mureșan for Prime Minister, but his ability to form a cabinet remains uncertain as major parties like PSD and AUR have declared they will not support him. This political instability is contributing to what financial analysts describe as an 'investment freeze,' with some capital reportedly moving to more predictable markets like Bulgaria and Poland.

Economic indicators are also under pressure. The yield on 10-year Romanian government bonds has risen, reaching levels near 7.7% recently. Meanwhile, the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) has seen declines, with the BET index experiencing significant drops. Standard & Poor's is scheduled to conduct discussions in Romania regarding the country's credit rating, with a formal evaluation expected on October 2. While some experts, such as AAFBR president Flavius Valentin Jakubowicz, characterize the leu's movement as a gradual and controlled depreciation rather than a collapse, the broader economic landscape is marked by rising costs and inflationary pressures.

Entities

Banca Națională a României · Bolojan government · Bucharest Stock Exchange · Euro · Fondul Proprietatea · National Bank of Moldova · National Bank of Romania · Romania · Siegfried Mureșan · Standard & Poor's · Standard & Poor’s · Zigfrid Mureșan

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 11 SOURCES] The BNR set the official exchange rate at 5.2788 lei per euro on September 23, 2026. defapt.ro · jurnaluldearges.ro · newmoney.ro · www.puterea.ro · www.dailybusiness.ro · +6 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Standard & Poor's is scheduled to hold discussions in Romania regarding the country's credit rating. defapt.ro · newmoney.ro · www.dailybusiness.ro · szekelyhon.ro
[● 5 SOURCES] The US dollar was quoted at 4.6265 lei on September 23, 2026. jurnaluldearges.ro · www.dailybusiness.ro · www.realitatea.net · logos-pres.md · defapt.ro
[● 2 SOURCES] The yield on 10-year Romanian government bonds reached 7.2%. defapt.ro · www.forbes.ro
[● 2 SOURCES] AAFBR president Flavius Valentin Jakubowicz characterized the leu's movement as a gradual and controlled depreciation rather than a collapse. www.forbes.ro · www.stirilekanald.ro
[● 2 SOURCES] Financial analyst Adrian Negrescu described the current economic situation as an 'investment freeze' due to political uncertainty. www.romaniatv.net · www.stirilekanald.ro
[DISPUTED] The Bucharest Stock Exchange's main index, BET, fell by 1.42% during Wednesday's session. defapt.ro
[● 8 SOURCES] The previous historic high for the euro was 5.2688 lei, recorded on May 6, 2026. defapt.ro · jurnaluldearges.ro · newmoney.ro · www.puterea.ro · www.dailybusiness.ro · +3 more
[DISPUTED] The BET index fell by 2.5% in the early hours of Thursday. www.biziday.ro
[○ 1 SOURCE] The BNR quoted a gram of gold at 641.4000 lei on Thursday. adevarul.ro