PM Ciuca running for PNL national chairmanship

 Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca announced on Wednesday having submitted his candidacy for National Liberal Party (PNL) national leadership."I have decided to submit my candidacy for the position of PNL national chairman. I decided to take on this responsibility after a discussion with my colleagues and an analysis of the entire political situation," Ciuca said at PNL headquarters.Ciuca is running on a motion called "United for a stable and strong Romania.""I hope that after their analysis, my colleagues will vote for it," he said.According to Ciuca, PNL is currently at rule and has a duty to secure the stability of the country, to govern efficiently and to provide security to the Romanians, and also the confidence that the current complicated context will be overcome."One of the essential conditions for good governance is that inside our party there should be a state of harmony and all of us focusing on the objectives that we pledge to achieve. And another important condition is to have a stable coalition in which dialogue with partners should be the way to solve all the problems that may arise due to ideological differences," Ciuca mentioned.He said he was confident he would form a "strong" and "united" team with his party colleagues."Since I joined PNL, I have been able to feel the ability of the Liberals to get mobilised and ensure the administration of the country, from the local level to the central level. But I know that there are ways to make things better in areas where we are not so well off. But that will entail the joint effort of us all. I told that to all my colleagues. Now it is not a question of one person, but of the entire Liberal team, which must be aware that the electoral score of the party depends on the activity of each of us. I am convinced that, together with my colleagues, we will be able to form a strong, united team that will generate the public policies that the country needs. PNL is the largest right-wing party, it has the best mayors in the country and it can become the main party in Romania," Ciuca said.His goal is to "strengthen" PNL and prepare it for the next elections. "If we govern well, if we manage to achieve the goals we have in the governing agenda, then the results will be obvious," he said.He added that all necessary measures would be taken to protect the citizens from the effects of the war in Ukraine and the crises facing the entire Europe.PNL Congress will meet in an extraordinary convention on Sunday to elect its national chairman. Florin Citu stepped down as PNL national leadership on Saturday, and Gheorghe Flutur, the party's first vice-chair, took over on an acting basis.