A new government for Romania

Corina Cristea, 25.11.2021, 12:09

Designated by president
Klaus Iohannis for the second time in recent weeks to form a new government,
the Liberal Nicolae Ciucă managed this time around to persuade a majority of
MPs to endorse his team. This is thanks to the alliance of his party with the
Social Democrats, who hold the largest number of seats in Parliament, and with
the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), a junior partner
of the Liberals in the ruling coalition ever since the 2020 election.

The USR had also been
partners in the same coalition, but following disagreements with the Liberal PM
Florin Cîțu they decided to pull out nearly 3 months ago, and to back a
no-confidence motion tabled by the Social Democrats.

For the UDMR, things are
relatively simple: in the new government team, they get to keep the 3 ministries
they headed before (regional development, environment and sports) and receive a
deputy PM post as well.

The negotiations between
the Liberals and the Social Democrats, on the other hand, were rather
complicated. The 2 parties eventually agreed on a rotation of prime ministers between
them and managed to have the governing programme include vital measures which,
they claim, are eagerly awaited by their voters.

Such measures include
earmarking 7% of GDP for investments, implementing the National Recovery and
Resilience Plan and using the Anghel Saligny Investment Plan to
reduce development gaps between the country’s regions. Nicolae Ciucă also promises
to raise child allowances, minimum wages, and public pensions.

Virgil Popescu, who will
stay on as energy minister, announced that as of early next year the mechanism
protecting consumers from growing energy prices will be revised and measures
will be taken to ensure households and companies are not affected.

Sorin Cîmpeanu, who also
carries on his term in office at the education ministry, says his first
priority is to set up a committee to work on a new education law.

As much as 70 billion euro
will be invested in the next 10 years in transport infrastructure, says the Social
Democrat Sorin Grindeanu, who also promises full transparency in terms of
public spending at the transport ministry.

Another
Social Democrat, and the only woman in the new cabinet, Gabriela Firea, will be in charge
of a newly established ministry of youth and family.

In the context of the ongoing
pandemic, testing and encouraging citizens to go to the doctor as soon as
possible, alongside with providing proper healthcare services, are the
short-term measures planned by Alexandru Rafila, chosen by the Social
Democratic Party to head the healthcare ministry. Dr. Rafila also spoke about
the polarisation in the Romanian society and the rift between the vaccinated
and the unvaccinated.

The Liberal Cătălin
Predoiu, who was a justice minister in the past as well, says meeting the terms
of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism is a goal for the new coalition,
along with dismantling the special section investigating offences in the
judiciary and the amendment of the laws regulating the justice system.

NATO, the EU and the strategic partnership with the USA are the pillars
of Romania’s defence and security policy, says the new defence minister Vasile
Dîncu, also backed by the foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu, whose priority
remains the consolidation of Romania’s role and standing in the EU and NATO. (tr.
A.M. Popescu)