“Romania has no more time to waste“ - with these words, diplomat Luca Niculescu addressed Romanian deputies and senators before the vote of confidence on his proposed cabinet. He said that he accepted the mandate as an independent candidate for prime minister to help the country get out of the prolonged political crisis. This is reported by Digi 24 TV, BTA reports.
“We can end a five-month period of interim government and political deadlock (…) I accepted this mandate as an independent prime minister because Romania can no longer afford a prolonged crisis. "We need a government that can manage the current difficulties and initiate the changes that the country needs," Niculescu stressed during the joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
He pointed out that the proposed management program and the composition of the cabinet are aimed at achieving several main goals.
“This will be a government that will bring money and investments to the country, that will contribute to the strengthening of Europe and that will protect Romanians“, the candidate for prime minister said.
Among the main topics of his speech was Romania's excessive budget deficit. In 2024, it reached 9.3% of gross domestic product (GDP), which forced the previous government to take a number of savings measures.
According to Niculescu, however, financial stabilization should not be limited only to limiting the deficit. “The question is not only how to reduce the budget deficit, but also how to build an economy capable of producing more value in the country and paying better wages“, he pointed out.
All proposed ministers received positive opinions at their hearings before the relevant parliamentary committees, held yesterday and today. The cabinet includes 12 representatives of the Social Democratic Party and six independent ministers.
After the presentation of the management program and the team, parliamentary debates are ahead, followed by a secret ballot with black and white balls. To take office, the government must receive the support of at least 233 out of a total of 464 parliamentarians.
According to the positions stated so far by the political forces, Niculescu's cabinet can count on the votes of the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania and representatives of national minorities. It is possible that some smaller parliamentary groups from the far right may also provide support.
Two political formations have already stated that they will not support the proposed cabinet. The center-right party “Union for the Salvation of Romania“, which participates in the government of interim Prime Minister Ilie Bologian, announced that it will vote against. The same position was expressed by the far-right “Alliance for the Unification of Romanians“.
Luca Niculescu was nominated for prime minister by President Nicusor Dan on 5 October. He is the fourth candidate for prime minister since the ouster of Ilie Bologjan's government in a no-confidence vote on May 5.
So far, parliament has rejected two of the previous nominations for prime minister, and another candidate has returned his mandate due to insufficient support.