Former Military General to Form New Cabinet in Romania

Nicolae Ciuca is the new designated Prime Minister in Romania. Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis nominated him on Thursday, October 21st.

The nomination comes after Dacian Ciolos failed to pass his Cabinet through Parliament.

Nicolae Ciuca, 54, is the former Chief of Staff of the Romanian Land Army. He acts as the Minister of Defense in the dismissed cabinet, but he is also a Senator, elected on the lists of the National Liberal Party.

Ciuca graduated from the military school during the communist regime in 1988, and he was an active military during the so-called Romanian Revolution.

Critics say the President shouldn’t have nominated an Army General in reserve to form the cabinet, no matter how hard the circumstances.

Romanian people still remember the spring of 2020 when the same President decided to get the army on the streets of Bucharest to ensure people stay at home during curfew. That time is back sooner than expected.

His Cabinet has no chance of passing the MPs vote if the political situation remains the same. Yet, if he succeeds in negotiating with the other parties, he might be the next Romanian Prime Minister. If USR doesn’t vote for him, he would need the votes of the social democrats.