Luca Niculescu’s proposed government faces confidence vote in Romanian Parliament

Prime minister-designate Luca Niculescu will present his proposed government and governing program to Romania’s Parliament on Tuesday, October 20. The joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Niculescu’s proposed 18-member cabinet includes 11 ministers from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and seven independents.

PSD, the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), the national minorities group, and the United for Romania parliamentary group have announced their support for the cabinet. Together, they could deliver 279 votes, comfortably above the 233 required for confirmation, Hotnews.ro noted.

On the other hand, the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and the reformist Save Romania Union (USR) have said they will vote against the proposed government. PNL and UDMR have signed agreements with Luca Niculescu, although they will not hold ministerial positions in the proposed cabinet and intend to move into opposition.

Under parliamentary procedure, Luca Niculescu will present his ministers and governing program before lawmakers debate the proposal. Deputies and senators will then vote by secret ballot, with an absolute majority of all lawmakers required for the government to take office.

President Nicușor Dan nominated Niculescu for prime minister on October 5. He is the fourth nominee since Liberal leader Ilie Bolojan’s government was removed by a no-confidence motion on May 5.

The first nominee, Eugen Tomac, withdrew before seeking Parliament’s approval. The following two nominees, Adrian Veștea and Siegfried Mureșan, failed to secure sufficient support in confidence votes.

If confirmed, the Luca Niculescu cabinet would end more than five months in which Romania has been governed without a fully empowered executive.