Romania’s former prime minister Marcel Ciolacu resigns as head of Social Democratic Party

Former prime minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Tuesday, May 20, that he has resigned as head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest in the Romanian legislature. The interim leadership of the party will be taken over by transport minister Sorin Grindeanu, a close ally of Ciolacu, who secured the position with 67 votes to the 16 received by District 4 mayor Daniel Băluță.

The announcement, confirmed by Ciolacu on social media, comes 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 resignation from the prime minister seat earlier this month.

“Today I took a difficult but necessary step: I ended my mandate as president of the Social Democratic Party, with a heart full of gratitude and respect for all those who have stood by me in this project. It was an honor to lead the party that brought Romania into NATO. The party that opened the doors to the European Union,” Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday.

“I will remain a leftist all my life. I stay close to you, as a member of this great political family, with full confidence that the Social Democratic Party will continue to be the main force of balance and progress in Romania. I remain here. But not on the stage. Not at the front, but in the ranks,” he added.

PSD now must decide whether to enter the opposition or remain in government. Opinions are reportedly divided.

The pro-European wing wants to go into opposition but would prefer not to give up the prime minister position, while other leaders lean toward opposition. For example, the mayor of Buzău, Constantin Toma, criticized the party for failing to reform and for the country's difficult economic situation. He advocated for entering government with new leaders after the mass resignation of the current leadership.

Marcel Ciolacu’s leadership also signals uncertainty regarding the party’s positioning regarding the EU. It is generally agreed that his tenure at the helm of the party moved it towards supporting the European Union, whereas before it had been an outspoken critic of Brussels.

The Social Democratic Party has a history of ousting its former leaders. Victor Ponta, Adrian Nastase, and Liviu Dragnea, all predecessors of Ciolacu, were met with legal troubles after leaving the party leadership. The latter two