Romanian Social Democrat leader and prime minister, also running for the presidential seat this autumn, Marcel Ciolacu, named Liberal (PNL) regional leader Ilie Bolojan as his preferred would-be prime minister. 

Notably, Bolojan is also being circulated as a potential prime minister in case the Liberal leader Nicolae Ciuca wins the presidential elections.

In fact, the elected head of Bihor County Council, Ilie Bolojan, has been frequently circulated as a candidate for the prime minister position – but never nominated. Praised for its infrastructure investments and boasting regional ambitions with a new airport, the county still lacks foreign investments that otherwise abound in the western part of the country.

PM Ciolacu declared, on November 4 in Paris, that a consensus vision is emerging among the party about the preferred Liberal dialogue partner, in the person of Ilie Bolojan. 

"He is a man who wants to make reforms in Romania, a man who has shown himself to be very applied in terms of the local administration in Bihor, and he is a partner that I would like, from the position of president of Romania," he said, quoted by Digi24.

Liberal leader Nicolae Ciuca promised never to sign again a partnership with the Social Democrats. 

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Gov.ro)