Dacian Cioloș announces full transparency regarding the Romanian state's expenses for his candidacy for the position of Secretary General of La Francophonie

Dacian Cioloș, Romania’s candidate for secretary general of the Francophonie, announced that he will make public, at the end of the campaign, the expenses incurred by the Romanian state to support his candidacy. He said the information would cover funds allocated through the Presidency of Romania and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Cioloș says the diplomatic effort seeks to promote Romania’s strategic objectives: strengthening multilateral cooperation, developing the economic dimension, promoting Francophone culture and reforming the organization’s governance. According to him, regardless of the outcome, the candidacy contributes to raising Romania’s profile in international diplomacy.

The candidacy was officially submitted on April 15, 2026. Cioloș is the only former prime minister in the race and is competing against three African candidates: Coumba Ba, from Mauritania; Juliana Amato Lumumba, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Louise Mushikiwabo, the incumbent secretary general, who is seeking a third term.

The four candidates were interviewed on June 30, and the election will take place at the Francophonie Summit on November 15–16 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Romania is the organization’s seventh-largest contributor. Separate from the campaign expenses, the government allocated 980,000 lei to the Ministry of Culture for Romania’s participation in the Francophonie Village.