Ex-Health minister Vlad Voiculescu announces his candidacy for Bucharest City Hall

PLUS has announced his candidate for the the Bucharest local elections next year: Former technocrat minister of Health in the Ciolos Cabinet, Vlad Voiculescu will run for the Bucharest City Hall, an internal vote within PLUS reads.

At the same time, former USR chairman Nicusor Dan also wants to be designated the USR-PLUS Alliance candidate for Bucharest, claiming an opinion poll that ranks him first in the race.

Moreover, it seems the USR is surprised about PLUS’s move to announce Voiculescu as candidate, for it expected to decide on the candidate following a commonly agreed decision with their partners from PLUS.

Negotiations on the candidates for local elections were to take place after the presidential election in November.

“We win together or lose separately”, Voiculescu sent a message to his USR colleagues.

“I will run for the Bucharest mayor seat after I secure the endorsement of the colleagues from the USR-PLUS Alliance 2020″, he though stated.

However, Voiculescu seems to have a challenger, Nicusor Dan, although Dan is a former USR member. Nicusor Dan is expecting the Alliance 2020 to endorse him as an independent for the Bucharest race. Nicusor Dan has released an opinion poll claiming he can defeat incumbent Bucharest mayor, Gabriela Firea in the local elections if he were to be supported by USR-PLUS.

According to the poll, Nicuşor Dan (USR-PLUS) will get 41%, Gabriela Firea (PSD-ALDE-Pro România)- 31% and Rareş Bogdan (PNL-PMP) – 28%.