PSD and PNL to discuss next year's elections in coalition meeting of following week

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on Wednesday in an interview with private broadcaster Digi 24 that the PSD and the National Liberal Party (PNL) will discuss the approach for next year's elections in the coalition meeting next week, adding that he does not exclude the possibility of joint lists of the two parties.

Marcel Ciolacu was asked whether the PSD will run on joint lists with the PNL in next year's elections, agerpres reports.

"There are these discussions. They have not been applied. For example, on Monday there will be a coalition meeting. We will start with the government agenda, it's normal. We will have the legislative agenda, where Mr Nicolae Ciuca is chair, and there will also be a political agenda. We will discuss the approach to the elections, because at this moment we are in a coalition. I do not exclude this," said Prime Minister Ciolacu.

He mentioned that the decision for a joint list is not made by the PSD leader, but by the party members.

"A joint list, for example, in the European Parlaiment elections is not a decision that Ciolacu makes. I can't assume responsibility. I make it, if it is feasible, I make the decision with my colleagues in the party and then I will have to go to the Socialists and ask them, because I am part of a European family. I will go and talk to them," said Marcel Ciolacu.

The PSD leader underlined that he is considering any option in relation to the elections, "except a coalition with AUR [the Alliance for the Union of Romanians] in government".

"The most important elections for me, as PSD leader, are the European Parliament elections. After these elections, the most important are the local elections," said Marcel Ciolacu.