Luca Niculescu Drafts Governing Plan Amid PSD Negotiations

Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu announced Wednesday that he is drafting a governing plan and preparing consultations with parliamentary parties to establish political and economic balance in Romania. His primary objectives include driving economic growth, protecting purchasing power, implementing business recovery measures, and managing energy prices before winter. Niculescu stated that Romania "does not need to start from scratch every time."

Niculescu held an initial phone conversation with Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Sorin Grindeanu, with a formal meeting scheduled for Thursday to discuss the future government's program. While the PSD expects to join the administration, the party has established a red line requiring Niculescu to decouple Romania from the policies of Ilie Bolojan and the PNL-USR. Grindeanu indicated the party wants to determine if there is a "real desire" to abandon those previous economic policies.

The PSD intends to prioritize the government's general direction over the division of ministries during these initial talks. The timing of the investiture vote depends on when Niculescu submits his ministerial list and program to Parliament, which must occur by the constitutional deadline of October 15.