Romania’s president designates new PM as crisis nears end

By STEPHEN McGRATH
Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s president on Monday nominated a new prime minister to form an unlikely coalition comprised of the ruling National Liberal Party and its former Social Democrat Party rivals, as lawmakers hope to end a protracted political crisis. After consultations with Romania’s parliamentary parties on Monday, President Klaus Iohannis approved former army general Nicolae Ciuca of the center-right Liberals to form a government. After his nomination Monday, Ciuca said Romanian citizens “expect stability and solutions” from lawmakers as they try to solve an acute COVID-19 crisis, tackle an energy crisis and set about implementing key development funds from the European Union.