Marcel Ciolacu Prime Minister of Romania from June 15, 2023 Date of Birth: 28.11.1967 Country: Paraguay

1. Early Life and Political Career
2. Rise to Prominence in the PSD
3. Prime Ministerial Career
4. Political Ideology

Early Life and Political Career

Maricel Ciolacu is a Romanian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Romania since 15 June 2023. He is a member and the current leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Ciolacu entered politics in 2018, when he became Deputy Prime Minister of Romania under Mihai Tudose. Initially appointed to monitor Tudose and report back to Liviu Dragnea, who had failed to secure the premiership himself and feared Tudose would become too powerful within the party, Ciolacu soon broke with Dragnea and allied with Tudose. When Tudose was forced to resign due to Dragnea's machinations, Ciolacu lost his position.

Rise to Prominence in the PSD

In 2019, Dragnea was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to three years and six months in prison. With the PSD still holding a majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the party leadership backed Ciolacu to become President of the Chamber of Deputies, replacing Dragnea himself just one day after his imprisonment. Ciolacu remained in the shadows until the new PSD leader, Viorica Dăncilă, suffered a crushing defeat in the 2019 Romanian presidential election.

On 25 November 2019, the day after the presidential election concluded, Ciolacu confronted Dăncilă and persuaded her to step down as party leader. Ciolacu and other party leaders formed an ad-hoc party committee that convinced Dăncilă to resign rather than face expulsion from the party. Ciolacu was subsequently appointed interim party leader, and was confirmed in the position at the party congress the following year.

Prime Ministerial Career

In 2020, Ciolacu led the PSD to victory in the Romanian parliamentary election, but failed to form a majority coalition in the new legislature. Other parties opposed to the PSD formed a new coalition and government, sending Ciolacu into opposition. However, in 2021, following a political crisis that led to the resignation of Florin Cîțu's cabinet, he managed to bring the PSD back into government, forming the Nicolae Ciucă cabinet with his former rivals, the National Liberal Party, thus creating the pro-presidential National Coalition for Romania.

Political Ideology

Maricel Ciolacu adheres to the ideology of left-wing nationalism and social conservatism.