BUCHAREST -- Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on June 12 submitted his resignation as part of a scheduled plan to swap premiers following the 2020 parliamentary elections that left the two leading parties with near-equal strength.
Ciuca, of the National Liberal Party (PNL), will step aside for coalition partner Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), a move delayed for three weeks due to the nation’s teacher strike, which appeared to be settled on June 12.
Catalin Predoiu will serve as interim prime minister until Ciolacu is able to form a government. Predoiu was a former justice minister who had previously served as an interim prime minister for three days in February 2012.
The PNL and PSD had agreed that the PSD would replace the PNL at the helm of government at the halfway point of the term. The next parliamentary election is scheduled for late 2024.
But the switch was delayed by three weeks due to a teacher strike in the country, with Ciolacu saying he did not want to take office before an agreement was reached with the teachers’ unions.
On June 12, the unions accepted a government offer for an average 25 percent salary increase.
"Considering that this conflict in the education sector has been ended, today the moment has come when I am ending my activity as prime minister of Romania," Ciuca said.
Ciolacu's resignation from the leadership of the Senate -- a post that Ciuca will assume -- the allegation of ministries, and the installation of the government is expected to take place at the end of the week.
Ciolacu hailed the smooth transfer of power and congratulated the coalition partner for "keeping its word" over the deal, which stipulated the change at the midway point of the term.
The main ministries that are the subject of negotiations include the Transport and Development ministries, which will finalize in 2024 multiple projects with electoral impact in local and county communities.
The Finance, Environment, Energy, Interior, European Funds, and Justice ministries are also the subject of discussion.