Luca Niculescu will submit the list of ministers to Parliament on Thursday / “All options are on the table: a technocratic government, a political-technocratic hybrid, and a political government”

Designated Prime Minister Luca Niculescu announced on Friday that he intends to submit the government program and the list of candidates for ministerial positions to Parliament on Thursday. The decision will come after further negotiations with the political parties, scheduled to continue on Monday.

Niculescu said he was optimistic that he could secure a majority to approve the cabinet, but the composition of the future government has not yet been decided. The designated prime minister is considering three options: a technocratic government, a hybrid political-technocratic one, or a political government.

He said that he was holding discussions about several people who could take up ministerial positions, but did not provide any other names. The only potential minister mentioned explicitly was Alexandru Nazare, the current finance minister, whom Niculescu described as a professional with good relations with international organizations and experience in dialogue with rating agencies.

The designated prime minister did not rule out a meeting between the leaders of the PNL and PSD, Ilie Bolojan and Sorin Grindeanu, to obtain political support, but considered it too early for this option.

Regarding possible presidential mediation, Niculescu said that President Nicușor Dan had given him freedom of action, and that the need for his intervention would become clear in the coming days.