Parliament to convene to vote on gov't proposed by Nicolae Ciuca

The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies meet today in a joint session to vote on a government put forth by Prime Minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca, agerpres reports.

The joint plenary sitting starts at 10:00hrs.

Prime Minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca will unveil a governing agenda and a list of the members of his Cabinet. Debates will take place, followed by Parliament's vote of confidence on the agenda and the entire Cabinet list.

According to the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure, Parliament shows its confidence in the government by a vote of the majority of the MPs and senators in a secret ballot.

At least half plus one of the members of the two houses of Parliament must be in attendance.

In order to clear the vote, the Ciuca Government needs 234 for votes. But the Ciuca Cabinet is endorsed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) and national minority MPs, all holding 321 seats among themselves, which ensures a comfortable majority.

On Tuesday, Ciuca submitted to Parliament the list of ministers and a governing agenda.

The list of the PNL-PSD-UDMR government is as follows:

* Prime Minister - Nicolae Ciuca (PNL)

* Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure - Sorin Grindeanu (PSD)

* Deputy Prime Minister - Kelemen Hunor (UDMR)

* Minister of Development, Public Works and Administration - Cseke Attila (UDMR)

* Minister of Finance - Adrian Caciu (PSD)

* Minister of European Investment and Projects - Dan Vilceanu (PNL)

* Minister of Economy - Florin Spataru (PSD)

* Minister of Entrepreneurship and Tourism - Constantin-Daniel Cadariu (PNL)

* Minister of Energy - Virgil Popescu (PNL)

* Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - Adrian Chesnoiu (PSD)

* Minister of Health - Alexandru Rafila (PSD)

* Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests - Tanczos Barna (UDMR)

* Minister of Education - Sorin Cimpeanu (PNL)

* Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity - Marius Budai (PSD)

* Minister of Family, Youth and Equal Opportunities - Gabriela Firea (PSD)

* Minister of Culture - Lucian Romascanu (PSD)

* Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Transformation - Florin Roman (PNL)

* Minister of Sports - Eduard Novak (UDMR)

* Minister of Justice - Catalin Predoiu (PNL)

* Minister of Internal Affairs - Lucian Bode (PNL)

* Minister of National Defence - Vasile Dincu (PSD)

* Minister of Foreign Affairs - Bogdan Aurescu (PNL)

On Wednesday, the picks for the Ciuca Cabinet were heard by the specialists committees of Parliament, and all of them cleared the hearings. The opinion of the committees is consultative.

In case of adoption, the decision of Parliament on extending its vote of confidence will be forwarded immediately to the head of state to proceed with the appointment of the government.

After the government receives the vote of confidence from Parliament, the prime minister and the ministers will take the oath of office individually before the President of Romania.

The government as a whole and each member will be considered in office from the date of taking the oath.