Romanian former prime minister Marcel Ciolacu considering candidacy for Buzău County Council

Former prime minister and Social Democratic leader Marcel Ciolacu stated that he does not rule out a candidacy for the presidency of the Buzău County Council, after rumors to that end.

PSD Buzău president Romeo Lungu had previously told journalists that discussions are underway for the former prime minister to run for the Buzău County Council leadership. “It would be a great honor for us, the organization, for former prime minister Marcel Ciolacu to be able to run on behalf of PSD for CJ Buzău,” said the PSD Buzău president on Thursday.

In response, Ciolacu said that a candidacy “is possible. I do not rule it out,” according to G4Media. The former prime minister is currently a member of parliament elected on the PSD Buzău lists.

The position became vacant after Lucian Romașcanu, who won the 2024 elections, resigned to join the European Court of Auditors. Currently, the position of interim president of CJ Buzău is held by Social Democrat Adrian Petre, the vice president of the County Council. New elections will probably take place in September.

According to G4Media.ro sources, current party leader and close ally of Marcel Ciolacu, Sorin Grindeanu, would not agree with Ciolacu's candidacy, and is allegedly attempting to discourage him.

Ciolacu resigned as head of the Social Democratic Party, the largest in the Romanian legislature, after the presidential elections were won by the pro-EU independent mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan. The candidate backed by the former ruling PSD-PNL-UDMR alliance, Crin Antonescu, didn't make it to the second round of the elections, and this led to Marcel Ciolacu's resignationas prime minister.

Ciolacu is, however, currently battling complaints about his tenure as prime minister. Vlad Gheorghe, formerly a member of the reformist opposition party Save Romania Union, or USR, and now leader of the extra-parliamentary opposition party DREPT, announced on Thursday, July 3, that he has filed a criminal complaint against former prime minister Marcel Ciolacu "for lying about the state of the economy and budget deficit."