Romanian PM confirmed as candidate for upcoming presidential elections

Bucharest: Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was re-elected on Saturday as the chairman of the country's Social Democratic Party (PSD) and confirmed as the party's candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.

The decision was made during the PSD Congress, where 2,257 of the 2,380 delegates present voted in favor of Ciolacu's candidacy, Xinhua news agency reported.

The congress also saw the election of other key members of the party's leadership.

PSD is the leading member of the ruling alliance and the largest political party in Romania.

The Romanian presidential elections are scheduled for November 24, with a possible second round on December 8 if no candidate secures an absolute majority.

As the Romanian Constitution permits a maximum of two presidential terms, incumbent President Klaus Iohannis, first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2019, is ineligible for re-election. His second and final term will conclude in December this year.