The third government of the ruling coalition PSD-ALDE will get the Parliament’s confidence vote today. The new ministers of the cabinet led by PSD’s Viorica Dancila are to be heard by the Parliament’s specialty committees by noon and the final vote is scheduled to take place after 15:00.

The new cabinet has 28 members, 16 of whom are new while the rest were also part of the Mihai Tudose cabinet.

Paul Stanescu will remain deputy prime minister and minister of development in the new government, and Gratiela Gavrilescu will also stay as deputy prime minister and minister of environment. The two new deputy prime ministers are former finance minister Viorel Stefan, who doesn’t have an allotted portfolio, and former minister delegate for European affairs Ana Birchall, who will be in charge of Romania’s relation with its strategic partners, especially the US.

Carmen Dan will remain interior minister in the Dancila government. She held the same position in the Tudose cabinet, her quarrel with the prime minister being the reason that led to Mihai Tudose’s resignation.

Teodor Melescanu will also remain minister of foreign affairs, Mihai Fifor will continue to be in charge of the Defense Ministry, Lia Olguta Vasilescu will keep the labor portfolio, and Tudorel Toader will still be justice minister. The other ministers from the Tudose government who will also be present in the new cabinet are Petrea Daea – agriculture minister, Viorel Ilie – minister for the relation with the Parliament, and Victor Negrescu – minister delegate for EU affairs.

Meanwhile, Eugen Teodorovici will replace Ionut Misa as finance minister, Valentin Popa will take Liviu Pop’s position as education minister, Danut Andrusca will be the new economy minister (replacing Gheorghe Simon), Sorina Pintea will take over as health minister (replacing Florian Bodog), Anton Anton will be in charge of the Energy Ministry (replacing Toma Petcu), and Lucian Sova will take Felix Stroe’s place as transport minister.

Rovana Plumb will return as minister in the new government. She will replace Marius Nica as head of the EU Funds Ministry. The other new ministers are Bogdan Cojocaru – communications minister, replacing Lucian Sova, Stefan Radu Oprea – minister for business environment, replacing Ilan Laufer, George Ivascu – culture minister, replacing Lucian Romascanu, Ion Denes – minister of waters and forests, replacing Doina Pana, Nicolae Burnete – minister of research, replacing Lucian Georgescu, Ioana Bran – minister of youth and sports, replacing Marius Dunca, Bogdan Trif – minister of tourism, replacing Mircea Titus Dobre, and Natalia Intotero – minister for Romanians everywhere, replacing Andreea Pastirnac.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) have a thin majority in the Parliament. They have been negotiating with the Hungarian Democratic Union (UDMR) to get their support for the new cabinet.

After the Parliament votes the new cabinet, the ministers will go to the Cotroceni Palace, where they will be sworn in.

Romania’s first woman PM brings 16 new ministers in her team

editor@romania-insider.com