Former minister of transport Catalin Drula won the elections for the position of president of the main Romanian opposition party, Save Romania Union (USR), with 71.3% of the 18,177 votes expressed.

The internal elections came after the party's former president Dacian Ciolos resigned in February. He later pulled out of the party with some of his close collaborators to set up a new political vehicle. This particularly weakened USR, which was already in a dire situation at that time.

The online vote for the presidency of the Save Romania Union took place between July 6 and 10, ending on Sunday at 10:00, Economica.net reported.

Catalin Drula won the elections on promises to turn the party into a robust opposition party that would appoint the prime minister in 2024.

He also said that "USR must give the president of Romania in order to make changes in Romania." According to Drula, USR will announce the party's candidate for the presidential elections after it is decided through an internal democratic process.

The result of the internal elections will be validated by the USR Congress on July 16 in an online meeting. Catalin Drula's term to lead the party will be four years. 

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)