Romania’s parliament ushered in the nation’s first technocratic government by backing a cabinet proposed by Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos.
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A total of 389 of the 547 elected deputies voted in favour of the new government which has a year to make its mark before the next legislative elections.
Among the line-up, Ciolos said he selected Anca Paliu Dragu, an economic analyst at the European Commission and Mihnea Ioan Motoc, ambassador to Great Britain, was proposed for defense minister.
Ponta resigned amid large-scale protests over a nightclub fire October 30 in Bucharest that killed at least 56 people. The vote will most likely take place on Tuesday, after hearings in the specialised parliamentary committees.
Ponta has already made his first appearance in court on charges which relate to a period between 2007 and 2011, when he was working as a lawyer. “Confidence in politics, in state institutions seems weakened”. Considering the positions expressed by the leaders of the main parliamentary parties, the vote validating the Ciolos Cabinet will be a mere formality. Ciolos, a former European commissioner tasked with guiding Romania through to elections in a year’s time, won support from the opposition and the outgoing ruling party, a former lawmaker from which was named as deputy premier. “We plan to return to parliament by December 15 for a broader discussion on the governing program and new ideas to be included in the 2016 budget”.
The nomination of Dacian Ciolos is a direct criticism of Romania’s politicians who are perceived as being corrupt, arrogant and removed from the problems of ordinary people.
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President Iohannis said on his Facebook page after the vote: “This is a proof that parties understood that a government of technocrats represents now the best solution for Romania”.
