Ursula von der Leyen congratulates Luca Niculescu after his investiture as Romania’s prime minister

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen sent her congratulations to Luca Niculescu after his appointment as Prime Minister of Romania. The message was published on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, on the X platform.

“Important work lies ahead of us: creating opportunities for people and companies and strengthening security on our Eastern Flank. We have no time to lose,” Ursula von der Leyen wrote. She called for continued cooperation “for Romania and for Europe.”

After Parliament’s vote, Luca Niculescu stated that he is an independent prime minister, but that a government cannot function without parliamentary support. He promised to avoid sterile conflicts and to govern through clear rules and transparency.

The new prime minister stated that the Government must respond to economic, budgetary, social, and geopolitical emergencies. The priorities announced include protecting incomes, reducing waste, improving governance, attracting funding from the NRRP and European funds, investing in energy, completing accession to the OECD, and supporting the Romanian economy. Niculescu emphasized that the authority of the Executive would be assessed through verifiable results, not speeches.