Europeanist Niculescu takes over Romania’s new government

O europeanist Luca Niculescu, without party membership, has now taken office as Prime Minister of Romania, in front of a government composed of social democrats and independents, which ends almost six months of institutional paralysis.

Journalist and diplomat, Niculescu, 55 years old, received from the President of the country, Nicusor Dan, the task of forming Government, after the failure of three previous candidates since the fall in May of the coalition of four parties led by liberal Ilie Bolojan, through a motion of censure.

“A man whose job is to harmonise positions” – the Romanian Head of State presented him by announcing, on October 5, his appointment for office, with the direct mission of forming a coalition executive to ensure the firm Euro-Atlantic orientation of the country, maintaining in opposition the ultra-nationalists and pro-Russia groups.

After consolidating an image as a skilled mediator, he managed to gain broad parliamentary support and overcome the serious political crisis that has been dragging on since May: the new government, consisting of 12 PSD ministers and six independents, was approved in the Bucharest parliament – with 464 seats – with 280 votes in favour and 58 against.

Training journalist who has reinvented himself as a diplomat, Niculescu reaches the head of the Government from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he served as Secretary of State responsible for coordinating and concluding this year's accession process for Romania to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In this role, and keeping his style discreet, he negotiated, with ministries and public institutions, the reforms necessary to meet the requirements of the international organization based in Paris.

Formerly, between 2016 and 2022, he was Ambassador of Romania to France, while exercising the diplomatic representation of the country to Andorra and Monaco.

During his stay in the French capital, he also served as a representative of Romania at the International Francophony Organization (IPO) and chaired the Francophone Ambassadors Group in France, ensuring a solid network of international contacts.

Born in Bucharest in 1971, his childhood was marked by the history of his own family, expropriated from property and the target of political persecution during the Communist regime.

Despite the difficulties of the time, he grew up in a home where he spoke French and German, as well as Romanian, surrounded by “books and pictures”, according to an interview with Adevaul.

After the fall of the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in 1989, he chose to remain in Romania to participate actively in the democratization process.

“ It seemed very interesting to me what was happening in the country and wanted to be part of that change. Somehow, I always believed that my place was here”, he said.

Niculescu graduated in 1995 from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of the University of Bucharest and subsequently completed his master's degree in European Journalism at the University Journalistic Training Centre of the University of Strasbourg, France.

Over nearly a quarter of a century, he has developed a prominent career in media, standing out as one of the reference voices on public radio RFI Romania, where he has played directing roles, and collaborating with public television and the written press.

Thanks in 2023 to the French Legion of Honor, as Commander, Niculescu now takes over the leadership of the Romanian Government with the challenge of reducing the budget deficit, while supporting the vulnerable population and strengthening the defence of one of the poorest countries of the European Union (EU) and NATO member who shares more than 600 kilometres of border with Ukraine.