# Romania's fourth PM candidate in five months

> President Nicușor Dan names a diplomat to break a political deadlock threatening economic stability, but faces an uphill battle in parliament.
- Title: Romania's fourth PM candidate in five months · POLITICO
- Summary: President Nicușor Dan names a diplomat to break a political deadlock threatening economic stability, but faces an uphill battle in parliament. Romania's…
- Keywords: romania, nicușor dan, luca niculescu, prime minister, government formation, coalition collapse, george simion, alliance for the union of romanians, politics, world, Romania's, fourth
- Source: POLITICO — https://politico.eu/article/diplomat-is-romania-fourth-prime-ministerial-candidate-in-5-months
- Published: 2026-10-05T20:12:40+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: romania, nicușor dan, luca niculescu, prime minister, government formation, coalition collapse, george simion, alliance for the union of romanians, politics, world
## Romania names fourth PM candidate
President Nicușor Dan named Luca Niculescu, secretary of state in the foreign ministry, as prime minister-designate on Monday to end a five-month government stalemate.
## Three previous nominees have failed
Niculescu is the fourth candidate tasked with leading a government since the coalition collapsed in May. Lawmakers rejected two of Dan's previous nominees, and a third did not even make it that far.
## Parliament must vote within ten days
To be confirmed, Niculescu must win a vote in Romania's parliament within ten days to show he has majority support for his ministerial team and their program for government.
## Dan fears far-right gains from election
The president faces calls to dissolve parliament for a snap election but is reluctant to do so, fearing it would bring the far-right euroskeptic Alliance for the Union of Romanians closer to power.
## Dan praises Niculescu's diplomatic skills
Dan said Niculescu, as a diplomat, knows how to harmonize different positions. He stressed Romania needs a government urgently to rectify institutions and pass a budget for next year.

> My proposal for the position of prime minister is Luca Niculescu, a man who, as a diplomat, knows how to harmonize different positions.
## Niculescu pledges European direction
Accepting the nomination, Niculescu said his first mission would be to build a parliamentary majority for a government deeply anchored in Romania's European and Euro-Atlantic direction.

> The first mission will be to build a parliamentary majority that will vote for a government that will be deeply anchored in Romania's European and Euro-Atlantic direction.
## Key takeaway

Romania's president named a fourth prime ministerial candidate in five months to end a government stalemate, but the diplomat must win a parliamentary vote within ten days.