New government taken office in Romania

The Romanian parliament has approved by a majority vote a decision to express confidence in the next government headed by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who was re-elected to this position and formed a cabinet from the newly formed coalition.

On Monday, the new government took the oath of office before the president and held its first meeting, Ukrinform reports, citing the AGERPRESS news agency.

“The parliament at a plenary session expressed a vote of confidence in the government headed by Marcel Ciolacu,” the report said.

At the same time, 240 parliamentarians voted in favor, with a minimum threshold of 233 votes. 143 lawmakers voted against. Thus, the new government is formed of representatives of the coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania (UDMR).

The new cabinet has already been sworn in at the presidential palace.

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“The members of the government, led by Marcel Ciolacu, arrived on Monday evening at the Victoria Palace [government building] for the first meeting of the executive branch of government,” the Romanian news agency notes.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, outgoing Romanian President Klaus Iohannis instructed leftist Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu to form a new government after three pro-European parties agreed on details for a majority coalition.