Luca Niculescu submits ministerial roster as coalition partners allocate portfolios

Designated prime minister Luca Niculescu delivered his program of governance and a full list of ministerial candidates to Parliament on Thursday, the last day permitted under constitutional rules. The liberal faction headed by Ilie Bolojan announced it would back the cabinet during the investiture vote, while Social-Democrat leader Sorin Grindeanu validated the eleven names his group put forward for cabinet posts. The forthcoming administration will feature sixteen ministries, matching the size of the previous Bolojan-led cabinet. Sources indicate the Social-Democrats will retain control of the Government Secretariat, whereas the remaining five ministries will be assigned to technocrats selected by President Nicușor Dan.