Nicușor Dan congratulates Luca Niculescu and outlines the priorities for the new Government: reforms, economic balance, and digitalization

Sanziana Georgescu

20 October 2026, 18:05

Politics

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President Nicușor Dan congratulated Luca Niculescu on forming the new Government and securing the votes of the parliamentary majority, after taking the oath at Cotroceni Palace. The head of state expressed his confidence that the prime minister would succeed in finding a balance in relations with Parliament, emphasizing that the coming period could be more difficult.

Nicușor Dan thanked former Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and his cabinet for the work carried out during the five and a half months in which Romania did not have a government with full powers. The president highlighted the management of several important objectives, such as closing the PNRR, implementing the SAFE program, finalizing the negotiation chapters with the OECD, and the assessments by rating agencies. He also praised the cooperation between the political parties during this period, considering it a sign of democratic maturity.

The head of state emphasized that the new Executive must find a balance between Romania’s financial obligations, the population’s expectations, and the need to implement reforms. He highlighted the importance of honoring economic commitments to protect the country’s future development and welcomed the existence of a portfolio dedicated to digitalization and artificial intelligence.

Nicușor Dan stated that Romania must look to the future and capitalize on its competitive advantages in order to connect with the sectors influencing the global economy. In conclusion, the president wished the members of the new cabinet success and emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for the reforms and of good cooperation between the Government and Parliament.

Context: before taking the oath, the new Government underwent hearings and sought to secure parliamentary support

A few days before the ceremony, designated Prime Minister Luca Niculescu submitted the government program and the list of ministers to Parliament, and the investiture procedure entered its final stage. Hearings were due to take place in the parliamentary committees for the proposed ministers, covering portfolios such as Justice, Foreign Affairs, Labour, and Health, after which the joint session would proceed to the investiture vote.

At the same time, political negotiations were taking shape against the backdrop of the previous deadlock: Niculescu was the fourth prime minister-designate in the government crisis triggered after the fall of the Ilie Bolojan cabinet, while other attempts to form an Executive had failed in Parliament. The support was presented as resulting from the PSD joining the government (with 11 of the 17 proposed members), the PNL and UDMR's announcement that they would vote in favour, while USR and AUR announced that they would vote against, and within the PNL there were also MPs who challenged the inclusion of certain PSD ministers.