Romania's new government: Key events in Bucharest today
In Bucharest today, December 23, a political marathon is underway to finalize the formation of the new government.
The morning starts with the signing of the coalition agreement among the PSD, PNL, and UDMR at 8:30 AM, followed by the election of the leaders of the two parliamentary chambers at 9:00 AM. At 11:00 AM, President Klaus Iohannis is expected to announce the nominated Prime Minister, in line with the coalition agreement. According to G4Media sources, Marcel Ciolacu, leader of the PSD, is the frontrunner for this position. The government agenda will be submitted to Parliament at 12:00 PM, with hearings for the proposed ministers commencing in the afternoon. The new Cabinet could take the oath of office this evening at Cotroceni Palace.
The coalition of PSD, PNL, and UDMR has finalized the distribution of ministerial portfolios within the new government. The Social Democrats will oversee eight ministries, including Justice, Transport, Agriculture, Health, and Labor.
The Liberals will manage six ministries, including Internal Affairs, with Cătălin Predoiu as Minister and Deputy Prime Minister; Foreign Affairs, where Emil Hurezeanu is nominated; European Funds, led by Marcel Boloș; and Energy, managed by Sebastian Burduja.
The UDMR will hold two key portfolios: Development, led by Attila Cseke, and Finance, overseen by Tánczos Barna, who will also serve as Deputy Prime Minister. Coalition leaders stated that this structure embodies the balance achieved in negotiations and reflects the government’s priorities.
Under the new arrangement, the PNL will no longer hold advisory ministries, meaning they will not have direct responsibilities for approving draft laws, government decisions, or ordinances.
UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor confirmed the appointments of Tánczos Barna to Finance and Attila Cseke to Development, emphasizing that the coalition’s priorities include protecting citizens and restoring balance in the decision-making process. On the other hand, PNL leader Ilie Bolojan reiterated the importance of political stability, stating that “parliamentary arithmetic dictated the distribution of portfolios.”
Translation by Iurie Tataru
