Romania's president appoints Luca Niculescu as prime minister, his fourth pick this year
In short
Romanian President Dan announced on 5 October the appointment of Luca Niculescu as prime minister, the fourth such appointment this year, after a fresh round of consultations with parliamentary parties. Niculescu said he could not promise miracles but would use public funds prudently, keep economic expectations stable and speed up investment and reform. The appointment follows the fall of the government of then prime minister Bolojan in a no-confidence vote in early May, after which three earlier attempts to form a government failed.
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Romanian President Dan announced on 5 October that he had appointed Luca Niculescu as prime minister, the fourth time he has appointed a prime minister this year, according to reports carried by Yicai, CLS and Jiemian. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The announcement was made at a press conference at the presidential palace after a new round of consultations with parliamentary parties, the reports said. Dan asked Niculescu to form a government. In a statement afterwards, Niculescu said he could not promise miracles but could promise to use public funds prudently, safeguard stable economic expectations, accelerate investment and reform, and build an efficiently run government. He previously served as Romania's ambassador to France and as a state secretary in the foreign ministry. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The appointment follows a prolonged period of political deadlock. In early May, a joint session of Romania's Senate and Chamber of Deputies voted through a no-confidence motion, bringing down the government led by then prime minister Bolojan, according to Yicai and Jiemian, which both carry the background. Dan subsequently appointed new prime ministers three times, and none of those attempts resulted in a government being successfully formed. [ 1 , 3 ]
The documents do not say how the parliamentary parties have responded to the latest nomination, when the new government might be voted on, or who the three earlier appointees were. Yicai attributes its account to Xinhua and Romania's Agerpres, and Jiemian to CCTV News; CLS and Yicai both carry Niculescu's statement in the same wording. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Romania has been without a successfully formed government since the May no-confidence vote, and this is the fourth attempt this year to install a prime minister. If Niculescu fails to put together a government, the political uncertainty the documents describe would continue. The documents give no indication of how the parties will respond to the nomination.
Key facts
- Romanian President Dan appointed Luca Niculescu as prime minister on 5 October, the fourth such appointment this year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Dan announced the appointment at a press conference at the presidential palace after a new round of consultations with parliamentary parties, and asked Niculescu to form a government. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Niculescu said he could not promise miracles but could promise to use public funds prudently, keep economic expectations stable, accelerate investment and reform and build an efficiently run government. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Niculescu previously served as Romania's ambassador to France and as a state secretary in the foreign ministry. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- In early May, a joint session of Romania's Senate and Chamber of Deputies passed a no-confidence motion, bringing down the government led by then prime minister Bolojan. [ 1 , 3 ]
- After that vote, Dan appointed new prime ministers three times, none of which resulted in a government being successfully formed. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- President Dan appointed Luca Niculescu as prime minister on 5 October, his fourth appointment of a prime minister this year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The announcement was made at a press conference after consultations with parliamentary parties, and Niculescu was asked to form a government. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Niculescu said he would use public funds prudently, safeguard stable economic expectations and accelerate investment and reform. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Niculescu previously served as Romania's ambassador to France and as a foreign ministry state secretary. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The government of then prime minister Bolojan fell after a no-confidence vote in parliament in early May, after which three attempts to appoint a prime minister failed to produce a government. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Niculescu will succeed in forming a government. The documents describe three earlier failed attempts this year but give no indication of the outcome of this one.
- The exact time of the announcement on 5 October and the specifics of the consultations with parliamentary parties. The documents say only that the announcement came after a new round of consultations, without giving a time or the parties' positions.
- Who the three previously appointed prime ministers were and why their formation attempts failed. The documents refer to the three appointments only as counts, without names or reasons.
- Which parties support or oppose the nomination. No document reports a reaction from any parliamentary party.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Romanian President Dan announces at a press conference at the presidential palace, after a new round of consultations with parliamentary parties, that Luca Niculescu is appointed prime minister and is to form a government; Niculescu issues a statement saying he cannot promise miracles but will use public funds prudently, safeguard economic expectations and accelerate investment and reform. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Yicai publishes its report, citing Xinhua and Romania's Agerpres. [ 1 ]
- CLS publishes its report. [ 2 ]
- Jiemian publishes its report, citing CCTV News. [ 3 ]