Romanian President Challenges New Brown Bear Culling Law at Constitutional Court

President Nicușor Dan filed a petition with Romania's Constitutional Court contesting a law that raises the annual quotas for brown bear removal in 2026. The legislation increases the prevention quota from 426 to 859 bears and the intervention quota from 55 to 110, allowing culls to be carried out by specialist teams.

Dan argues the bill breaches the Romanian Constitution and the European Union’s Habitats Directive, which protect brown bears as a strictly protected species. He says the law turns an exceptional, case‑by‑case measure into a permanent mechanism without sufficient scientific justification, alternative non‑lethal options, monitoring or clear sanctions. The President also claims the Parliament overstepped its authority by setting extraction limits that should be an executive function.

Romania hosts the largest brown bear population in Europe, estimated between 10,400 and 12,800 individuals, far above the 4,000 considered optimal. The disputed law was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies in April 2026, prompting the president’s request for the court to declare it unconstitutional.