Ilie Bolojan elected president of Romania's National Liberal Party

BUCHAREST, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Romania's National Liberal Party (PNL), a vital partner in the ruling coalition, elected Ilie Bolojan as its new president on Saturday during an extraordinary congress in Bucharest.

Bolojan, the current prime minister of Romania and the sole candidate, has served as PNL's interim leader since last year. Today, he formally secured the position through a secret ballot, according to local media.

Catalin Predoiu, Adrian Vestea, Nicoleta Pauliuc, and Ciprian Ciucu were elected as first vice-presidents.

In his address to party delegates, Bolojan called the presidency "an honourable position, but also one of great responsibility." He pledged to reposition the PNL as a key driver of Romania's modernization.

Noting the PNL's recent setbacks in elections, Bolojan urged a return to core liberal values, vowing to implement reforms and rebuild connections with young voters, civil society, and Romanians living abroad.

"We can settle for mere political survival, or we can reinvent ourselves to meet the expectations of Romanians," he said.

The PNL has been a key partner in the ruling coalition alongside the Social Democratic Party (PSD) since 2021. Representatives from all coalition parties, including minorities, are present at the PNL congress, except for PSD.

The Romanian ruling coalition includes the PSD, the PNL, Save Romania Union (USR), Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), and the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities. Enditem