The extraordinary congress of the National Liberal Party convened on Sunday, at the Parliament Palace, for the election of the new president, after Florin Cîțu resigned from the party leadership. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, the only candidate for the position, is the party’s new chairman.
Out of 1,120 votes cast, 1,060 were for the election of Niclae Ciuca and 60 were canceled, according to the results announced after the vote was counted. There were also 159 abstentions.
Nicolae Ciuca said on Sunday, before the PNL congress, that he sees his lack of experience in politics as an asset and declared himself confident that he will succeed in doing what he managed to do in government. “I hope that through this approach the PNL will find its balance”, said Nicolae Ciucă.
Nicolae Ciuca stated in the opening of the congress that he has no seniority in the National Liberal Party, neither political experience nor that he does not want to appear what he is not, but pointed out that he will not be taken prisoner either.
However, tensions remain between the former president and the current leadership. Florin Cîțu left the meeting room just before the speech given by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă. And the new chairman the president of the Senate, Florin Cîţu, for everything “he did well” for the PNL.
Asked if he would also run for Presidency, Ciuca said that it is the party that nominates the candidate for the presidential elections.
Regarding the possibility of losing the position of PNL president in case he will no longer be prime minister, he explained: “It has nothing to do with it. (…) Are you referring to the agreement that existed when the coalition was formed when the people rotate for the position of prime minister? At the moment I don’t think the problem is, and I don’t want to think about what will happen in a year’s time, because we have a lot of work to do now. Romanians expect us to solve problems that have a special dynamic and affect them. (…) I saw deadlines for mandates in administration, there are no deadlines in politics ”.
PNL First Vice President Lucian Bode said the parties in the current ruling coalition must have common goals, but the National Liberal Party’s mission is to coagulate right-wing political forces over the next two years to prepare for the “electoral struggle.” During the extraordinary PNL Congress held at the Palace of the Parliament, Lucian Bode added that the PNL is part of a governing Coalition, and the political forces of this alliance must have common objectives.
The leader of PNL Giurgiu, Dan Motreanu, said that, in normal times, there would have been several candidacies for the party leadership, but Romania is going through difficult moments, so PNL needs a leader like Nicolae Ciucă.
Nicolae Ciucă submitted his candidacy for PNL leadership on Wednesday, the last day this was possible. The day before, on Tuesday, the Executive Bureau of the Liberals established a derogation from the party’s status regarding seniority, so that Nicolae Ciucă can run for president. The PNL statute stipulates that any member of the party can run for president if he is at least 5 years old. Nicolae Ciuca joined the party in October 2020.
“I decided to submit my candidacy for the position of PNL president. I decided to take this responsibility after a discussion I had with my colleagues and after my analysis of the whole political situation. (…) PNL is the largest right-wing party, has the best mayors in the country and can become the first party in Romania “, the prime minister stated, after submitting his candidacy for the leadership of the National Liberal Party.