EXCLUSIVE Ciolacu, after President Iohannis’ statements on the future Government: it is his choice whether he will continue the stability offered by the PSD to the government or throw the country into chaos

PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu told G4Media.ro that „it is his choice whether he will continue the stability offered by the PSD to the government or throw the country into chaos”, after President Klaus Iohannis said, regarding the government rotation scheduled to take place in May, that he will take „the decision that I think is best for Romania”. It should be noted that President Iohannis made no reference to the coalition protocol which states that from 25 May the next prime minister will be from the PSD.

Asked by G4Media.ro how he comments on the fact that President Iohannis made no reference to the governing coalition protocol, Marcel Ciolacu said, „That’s what I’ve always said. The nomination of the Prime Minister is the President’s responsibility. It is therefore his choice whether he will continue the stability offered by the PSD to the governing act or throw the country into chaos.”

What the protocol signed in December 2022 between PSD and PNL states:

„The first candidate for Prime Minister, on behalf of the PNL, supported by the four parliamentary signatory parties, is Mr Nicolae Ionel Ciucă. He will have a mandate until 25 May 2023, and the second candidate, on behalf of the PSD, until the general elections in 2024.

When the Prime Minister changes, according to the agreed political rotation, the following representatives in the government will also be replaced: the Deputy Prime Minister from the PSD will be replaced by the Deputy Prime Minister from the PNL; the Minister of Transport from the PSD will be replaced by the nominee for this portfolio from the PNL, and the PSD will take over the Ministry of Investment and European Projects; the Minister of Public Finance from the PSD will be replaced by the nominee for this portfolio from the PNL, and the PSD will take over the Ministry of Justice; the coordinator of the General Secretariat of the Government from the PSD will be replaced by the PNL representative, and the PSD will take over the coordination of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery,” the document states.

Background

PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu has had numerous outings since the beginning of the year in which he has given assurances that President Klaus Iohannis will appoint him prime minister at the government rotation scheduled to take place in May. However, speculation has emerged in the press that the president might not appoint the PSD leader as prime minister but another PSD leader or even keep Nicolae Ciucă as head of government.

Ciolacu said on Sunday, on Antena 3, about the scenario in which he is not appointed prime minister by Klaus Iohannis, in the May rotation, that he does not believe this because it has no kernel of truth and that he believes that they have overcome the moment of personal or political grudges.

„I don’t believe this because it has no kernel of truth. I think we are past the point of personal or political grudges. We are always haunted by the past, I don’t think it will come to that,” Ciolacu told Antena 3 on Sunday.

The PSD leader pointed out that „the power of signature is the president’s, and the rotation is agreed, enshrined in the protocol signed with the PNL. „He took note of this political agreement from the beginning,” Ciolacu added.