The four parties seeking a new ruling coalition in Romania have nominated candidates over the weekend for the ministries they are supposed to oversee, while a final agreement on the coalition's protocol is expected to be sealed on June 23. Some of the candidates proposed by parties have already prompted criticism, while prime minister-designate Ilie Bolojan is supposed to have a right to veto that is still rather informal.

The new government will have five deputy prime ministers – one from each of the four parties forming the coalition plus Dragos Anastasiu, deputy prime minister for reform, Digi24 reported.

Anastasiu, previously president of the German-Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a member of the Advisory Board of the Romanian Business Leaders Foundation, has served as presidential advisor to Ilie Bolojan for the period when he later served as interim head of state. 

The other deputy prime ministers are Marian Neacsu (PSD), Tanczos Barna (UDMR), Ionut Mosteanu (USR, also to serve as minister of defence), and Catalin Predoiu (PNL, also to serve as minister of interior). 

The reformist party USR nominated two key ministers, namely of foreign affairs and defence – whose ministries are also overseen by the president, and in this regard, the position of Nicusor Dan should be informally considered. 

The two proposals made by USR already prompted severe criticism for the candidates' lack of formal training and experience in the areas: Oana Toiu (Foreign Ministry) is an expert in leadership and entrepreneurship with formal education in journalism, while Ionut Mosteanu (Defence Ministry) has a career in marketing with uncertain educational background.  

Other candidates, such as Florin Barbu (PSD, Ministry of Agriculture) and Bogdan Ivan (PSD, Energy), may raise question marks due to their past performances in the previous government. The candidate proposed by Social Democrats (PSD) for the deputy prime minister position, Marian Neacsu, highlights the lack of reforms in the party: despite his highly questionable formal education and experience, he has been appointed to various top positions requiring high expertise, such as in the board of the energy market supervisory body ANRE.

PSD ministers 

• Ministry of Health - Alexandru Rogobete 
• Ministry of Justice - Radu Marinescu 
• Ministry of Energy - Bogdan Ivan 
• Ministry of Agriculture - Florin Barbu 
• Ministry of Labor - Florin Petre Manole 
• Ministry of Transport - Ciprian Șerban 

PNL ministers 

• Ministry of Interior - Cătălin Predoiu 
• Ministry of Finance - Alexandru Nazare 
• Ministry of Investments and European Funds - Dragoș Pîslaru 
• Ministry of Education - Daniel David 

USR ministers 

• Ministry of Environment - Diana Buzoianu 
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Oana Țoiu 
• Ministry of Defense - Ionuț Mosteanu 
• Ministry of Economy - Radu Miruta 

UDMR ministers

• Ministry of Culture - Demeter Andras Istvan 
• Ministry of Development - Cseke Attila

iulian@romania-insider.com

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