Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned after the first round of the presidential elections, a vote against the current governing coalition.
George Simion, the leader of the nationalist party AUR (Alliance for Romanians’ Union) and the sole candidate of the sovereign movement in Romania, won the first round of the presidential elections with a score of over 40%.
Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, who ran as an independent but with informal support from the reformist parties in Romania, came in second, with 21% of the votes, ahead of the ruling coalition’s candidate, Crin Antonescu, who ranked third.
Ciolacu’s Social Democrat Party (PSD) decided it would not publicly support any of the candidates who qualified for the presidential run-off.
Meanwhile, the National Liberal Party (PNL) decided to support Nicusor Dan.
The PSD minister will stay on as interim ones in the government. The provisional period can last up to 45 days, after which a new government needs to be established.
Ciolacu was PSD’s candidate for president last year. He failed to make it to the second round, having finished third. He announced then his resignation from the PSD leadership, but eventually stayed on.
To be updated
(Photo: Malina Norocea/ Inquam Photos)
simona@romania-insider.com
