Romania’s proposed Minister of Development, Romeo-Daniel Lungu, faced challenging questions during a parliamentary hearing regarding his plans to reform local administration. Lungu proposed “voluntary merging” of Administrative Territorial Units (UATs) as a key component of his strategy. Members of the AUR and USR parties questioned the feasibility of this approach, specifically asking about the historical success rate of voluntary UAT mergers over the past 35 years. The hearing focused on whether Lungu’s plan relies on genuine voluntary participation or represents a return to previous, less effective administrative models. The minister was grilled on the practical implementation and potential outcomes of his proposed reforms. The committees responsible for public administration and territorial planning conducted the hearing in the Chamber of Deputies. Lungu’s confirmation process hinges, in part, on addressing these concerns.