Romania will hold parliamentary elections in December and presidential elections in September, two months before the term of president Klaus Iohannis ends in December, the prime minister has announced.
Premier Marcel Ciolacu said the presidential elections would take place on September 15 and 29, and general elections on December 8.
The ruling coalition, made up of Ciolacu’s Social Democrats and the Liberal Party agreed the dates this week. He said the Liberals „will approve the dates, I think on Sunday, in an internal party vote,” he said, according to News.ro.
Romania holds four sets of elections this year, including European Parliament elections and local elections simultaneously on June 9.
PSD and PNL leaders formally agreed at Tuesday’s coalition meeting that the presidential elections will be held in the first round on September 15 and the second round will take place on September 29, News.ro reported.
Mr. Iohannis will step down in September having served the maximum two terms as head of state.
Last week, in a surprise move, it was reported that Mr. Iohannis was applying to be the next secretary-general of NATO. He faces outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who’s considered the favorite for the role.
Current secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg is due to leave the post in October and his successor will be appointed this year at a crucial time for the alliance as the war in Ukraine goes well into its third year.
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