PM-designate Adrian Veștea to run for Liberal Party presidency against acting PM Ilie Bolojan

Adrian Veștea (right), launched on the Romanian national political stage after being announced as PM-designate by Romanian president Nicusor Dan on June 14, announced his intention to run for the presidency of the National Liberal Party, or PNL.

From the outset, many in PNL interpreted Dan’s appointment as a clear attempt to remove former PM Ilie Bolojan (left) from his position as party head. As a result, after Veștea’s appointment last weekend, PNL announced it would not vote for the new prime minister. PNL allies in the reformist Save Romania Union Party (USR) and the Hungarian minority party UDMR also voted to reject the new government. The only party that would support Veștea, it was clear, was PSD.