Ending months of speculation, former Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca who also served as the Chief of the Armed Forces on Monday announced from Washington that he will run for president in elections this fall.
Mr. Ciuca, 57, is chairman of the governing National Liberal Party, and needs his party’s vote which he is likely to get.
The retired general is known for his pro-Western stance and attended the NATO July 9-11 summit in Washington.
He made his announcement in an interview from Washington with private broadcaster Antena 3/CNN.
His presumed bid means that the ruling Social Democrat-Liberal coalition will not field a joint candidate for the November elections as some were expecting.
The retired general is an ally of President Klaus Iohannis who is stepping down after a maximum two five-year terms in office and is considered to be his successor.
“I will work for the Romanian people from morning until my work is done,”he said.
Mr. Ciuca will likely face Mircea Geoana, 66, the deputy head of NATO and a former foreign minister who is running as an independent and is the favorite in the race. He will also compete with another independent, Ana Birchall, who served as justice minister.
“Do you want me to give you some news?,”Mr.Ciuca told the broadcaster on Monday. “If you have come all the way to Washington and we are here, in the whirlwind of everything that is happening in the United States and in Romania – I will run because I am the president of the National Liberal Party, but, first of all, I have to get the approval of the party.”
Mr. Ciuca and Mr. Geoana have both been accused of plagiarizing parts of their doctoral thesis. Mr. Ciuca was cleared of the charges while he was a sitting prime minister due to statute of limitations.
In 2020, the retired general received a top military award from the U.S. Ambassador for his contribution to European and NATO security when he was acting prime minister. He was prime minister from 2021 to 2023 and is now Senate speaker. He also served as defense minister.
The Legion of Merit is the highest award the United States Armed Forces can give to a non-U.S. citizen and is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service and achievement, the U.S. embassy said then.
Ambassador Zuckerman praised him for contributing to Romania’s strategic partnership with the U.S.
Other medal recipients are President Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George S. Patton and King Michael I of Romania.
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