National leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, said on Wednesday evening that he will run for re-election as the party's national leader at an ordinary convention of the PSD congress on August 24.
He was asked by journalists about his bid to become Romania's president.
"We will see who the congress elects as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party. Personally, at this moment, I have decided within the National Political Council to have a congress convention on August 24. It's true, I will run for re-election as the national leader of the Social Democratic Party. And in the same convention, the PSD candidate for the position of president of Romania will also be elected. I told you how it is statutory, there will be a regulation that follows, after we finish these conferences, when the candidacies are registered (...) I will ask for a single rule, which is sensible and fair, that the chapter you are registered with should be the organisation to back your bid, not three, not 10, the basic chapter," said Ciolacu.
He added that he will start electioneering within the term provided by the law, and that he will also run on the PSD ticket for a seat in Romania's Parliament.
"This is 75 days too early (...) I'm going to run as a candidate, I have to be a lawmaker too, I think.".
At the same time, the PSD leader was asked when he will lift the "mystery" from his candidacy in the presidential election. "I'll tell you exactly. Mr. Stanescu, the secretary general, will make a calendar for submitting the candidacies that he will put up for a vote at the National Political Council meeting. After we all set the calendar for August 24 at the meeting of the National Political Council, we begin to clarify who is running and why they are running."
He also showed that he is not afraid of anything but God, being asked if he is afraid to become the PSD presidential candidate, as in case of electoral defeat he could probably lose the leadership of the party as well.
He was also asked if he is currently negotiating with anyone over support for a presidential candidacy. "With Mr. Stanescu, he should support me," said Ciolacu.
Ciuca made the remarks at the end of an ordinary election conference of PSD Bucharest District 3, where he participated as the national leader of the party.
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