The presidential baton from General Ciucă's wound

Nicolae Ciucă, the president of the National Liberal Party, told his colleagues from the National Political Bureau, which met at the end of last week, for two days, in Sinaia, that he wants to run for the position of president of the country in the presidential elections that will take place next year.

At the opening of the meeting, Nicolae Ciucă said: "Through ourselves we have succeeded throughout history. By ourselves we will be able to approach the 2024 elections and win them. Let's give the President of Romania. Because there is no other solution for the development of Romania. We are here to set strategy and direction. We need to assume our goals based on these values. To fulfill them we clearly need a strategy and a plan. We must develop our own objectives, our own lines in accordance with what we assumed as a party".

According to political sources cited by News.ro, asked by one of the liberal leaders if he will run for the position of president of the country, Nicolae Ciucă would have replied: "Why do you think I am here?".

We remind you that Nicolae Ciucă was imposed as head of the PNL by the president Klaus Iohannis, who forced the change from this position of the former prime minister Florin Cîţu. Nicolae Ciucă is the craftsman of the governing coalition with the PSD, a retired general who entered politics directly as Minister of National Defense.

Liberal leaders met to determine the way forward for next year's European, local, parliamentary and presidential elections, starting in June.

The representatives of the PNL have decided to bring back the slogan "by ourselves", that is, to go on their own list and not to make an alliance with the PSD, the party with which they cohabit, from November 2021, in the governing coalition.

The leadership of the liberal political formation analyzed three scenarios regarding next year's elections: participation on its own list, an alliance with the PSD or a broader right-wing coalition. The liberals voted unanimously not to make an alliance with the PSD and to go on their own list in the 2024 elections.

Before the vote, leader Nicolae Ciucă told his colleagues that PNL is the only party that can coagulate the right: "We are nearing completion of the merger by absorption with ALDE. We are the only party that can coagulate the right".

The President of the PNL also said: "From a political point of view, I think we have been patient enough and I ask you to continue to have the capacity for patience in governing and the attitude towards the electoral campaign and the competition for 2024. We continue to assume the balance and responsibility from the PNL side, but not without the others taking into account this honesty and character trait for what it means for the stability of Romania and the exercise of the governing act. Of course we will always be responsible and balanced because that's who we are. But we will accept nothing but responsibility and honesty from any partner."

In making the decision regarding the strategy for the elections, the heads of branches were consulted, as well as the former presidents of the PNL, the liberal presidents of the county councils and the mayors of the county seat municipalities. Also, the data of the surveys carried out at the national level were also taken into account.