List of heads of government of Romania

This is a list consisting of all the heads of government of modern and contemporary Romania (i.e. prime ministers, both in full constitutional powers and acting or ad interim), since the establishment of the United Principalities in 1859 to the present day.

The incumbent prime minister of Romania, as of 1 May 2024, is Ion-Marcel Ciolacu, the current leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), who has been serving since 15 June 2023 onwards.

Ciolacu has been leading a PSD-PNL grand coalition government, as part of and representing the ruling National Coalition for Romania (CNR), since mid June 2023 to the present day. The Ciolacu Cabinet is the second CNR government to date and the only one to be composed of only two major political parties, after the UDMR/RMDSZ was eliminated from the coalition and, consequently, entered in opposition. In addition, the share of governmental power between the two major political parties which constitute this CNR cabinet is equal (i.e. 11 ministries per each constituent political party). For some time however, the stability and cohesion of the incumbent cabinet are both quite debatable.

Affiliations

The political stance of Romanian prime ministers prior to the development of a modern party system is given by the following affiliations in the table below:

  C (Conservative)  MC (Moderate Conservative)
  RL (Radical Liberal)  ML (Moderate Liberal)

The political stance of Romanian prime ministers after the development of a modern party system is given by the following affiliations in the table below:

  PNL = National Liberal Party (historical)/(contemporary)  PC = Conservative Party
  PNR/PNȚ/PNȚCD = Romanian National Party/National Peasants' Party/Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party  PP = People's Party
  PCD = Conservative-Democratic Party  Ind. = Independent
  PND = Democratic Nationalist Party  PNC = National Christian Party
  FRN = National Renaissance Front
(from 1940 PN; Party of the Nation)
  FP = Ploughmen's Front
  PMR = Romanian Workers' Party
(from 1965 PCR; Romanian Communist Party)
  FSN = National Salvation Front
  PDSR = Party of Social Democracy in Romania
(from 2001 PSD; Social Democratic Party)
  Mil. = Military
  PSDR = Romanian Social Democratic Party  Democratic Party/Democratic Liberal Party

Ad interim/acting officeholders are denoted by italics.

List of officeholders

United Principalities (1859–1881)

From 1859 to 1862, the two Romanian principalities (more specifically Moldavia and Wallachia) had their own government each, and a cabinet, seated in Iași and Bucharest respectively. In 1862, Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza changed the Constitution and from then on there has been a single unified central government, permanently seated in Bucharest, the capital of Romania.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
(1862–1881)
1 Barbu Catargiu
(1807–1862)
?15 February 18628 June 1862 †113 daysCon.Catargiu
Apostol Arsache
(1789–1869)
acting prime minister
8 June 186223 June 186215 daysCon.
2 Nicolae Crețulescu
(1812–1900)
24 June 186211 October 18631 year, 109 daysMod. Lib.Crețulescu I
3 Mihail Kogălniceanu
(1817–1891)
186411 October 186326 January 18651 year, 107 daysMod. Lib.Kogălniceanu
4 Constantin Bosianu
(1815–1882)
26 January 186514 June 1865139 daysMod. Lib.Bosianu
(2) Nicolae Crețulescu
(1812–1900)
14 June 186511 February 1866242 daysMod. Lib.Crețulescu II
5 Ion Ghica
(1816–1897)
Apr.186611 February 186610 May 186688 daysMod. Lib.Ghica I
6 Lascăr Catargiu
(1823–1899)
11 May 186613 July 186663 daysCon.Catargiu I
(5) Ion Ghica
(1816–1897)
Nov.186615 July 186621 February 1867221 daysMod. Lib.Ghica II
7 Constantin A. Crețulescu
(1809–1884)
1 March 18674 August 1867156 daysRad. Lib.Crețulescu
8 Ștefan Golescu
(1809–1874)
186726 November 186712 May 1868168 daysRad. Lib.Golescu
9 Nicolae Golescu
(1810–1877)
18681 May 186815 November 1868198 daysRad. Lib.Golescu
10 Dimitrie Ghica
(1816–1897)
16 November 186827 January 18701 year, 72 daysMod. Con.Ghica
11 Alexandru G. Golescu
(1819–1881)
18692 February 187018 April 187075 daysMod. Lib.Golescu
12 Manolache Costache Epureanu
(1823–1880)
20 April 187014 December 1870238 daysCon.Epureanu I
(5) Ion Ghica
(1816–1897)
18 December 187011 March 187183 daysMod. Lib.Ghica III
(6) Lascăr Catargiu
(1823–1899)
11 March 187130 March 18765 years, 19 daysCon.Catargiu II
13 Ion Emanuel Florescu
(1819–1893)
4 April 187626 April 187622 daysCon.Florescu I
(12) Manolache Costache Epureanu
(1823–1880)
6 May 18765 August 187691 daysPNLEpureanu II
14 Ion Brătianu
(1821–1891)
5 August 187613 March 18814 years, 220 daysPNLI. Brătianu IIIIII

Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947)

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
(1881–1947)
14 Ion Brătianu
(1821–1891)
13 March 18819 April 188127 daysPNLI. Brătianu III
15 Dimitrie Brătianu
(1818–1892)
10 April 18818 June 188159 daysPNLD. Brătianu
(14) Ion Brătianu
(1821–1891)
9 June 188120 March 18886 years, 285 daysPNLI. Brătianu IV
16 Theodor Rosetti
(1837–1923)
23 March 188822 March 1889364 daysPCRosetti III
(6) Lascăr Catargiu
(1823–1899)
29 March 18893 November 1889219 daysPCCatargiu III
17 Gheorghe Manu
(1833–1911)
5 November 188915 February 18911 year, 102 daysPCManu
(13) Ion Emanuel Florescu
(1819–1893)
2 March 189129 December 1891302 daysPCFlorescu II
(6) Lascăr Catargiu
(1823–1899)
189229 December 189115 October 18953 years, 290 daysPCCatargiu IV
18 Dimitrie Sturdza
(1833–1914)
15 October 18952 December 18961 year, 48 daysPNLSturdza I
19 Petre S. Aurelian
(1833–1909)
2 December 189612 April 1897131 daysPNLAurelian
(18) Dimitrie Sturdza
(1833–1914)
12 April 189723 April 18992 years, 11 daysPNLSturdza II
20 Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
(1833–1913)
23 April 189919 July 19001 year, 87 daysPCCantacuzino I
21 Petre P. Carp
(1837–1919)
19 July 190013 February 1901209 daysPCCarp I
(18) Dimitrie Sturdza
(1833–1914)
190127 February 19014 January 19064 years, 311 daysPNLSturdza III
(20) Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
(1833–1913)
4 January 190624 March 19071 year, 79 daysPCCantacuzino II
(18) Dimitrie Sturdza
(1833–1914)
190724 March 19079 January 19091 year, 291 daysPNLSturdza IV
22 Ion I. C. Brătianu
(1864–1927)
9 January 190928 December 19101 year, 353 daysPNLI.I.C. Brătianu III
(21) Petre P. Carp
(1837–1919)
191129 December 191028 March 19121 year, 90 daysPCCarp II
23 Titu Maiorescu
(1840–1917)
191228 March 191231 December 19131 year, 278 daysPCMaiorescu III
(22) Ion I. C. Brătianu[a]
(1864–1927)
19144 January 191428 January 19184 years, 24 daysPNLI.I.C. Brătianu IIIIV
24 Alexandru Averescu[a]
(1859–1938)
29 January 19184 March 191834 daysMil.Averescu I
25 Alexandru Marghiloman[a]
(1854–1925)
19185 March 191823 October 1918232 daysPCMarghiloman
26 Constantin Coandă[a]
(1857–1932)
24 October 191829 November 191836 daysMil.Coandă
(22) Ion I. C. Brătianu
(1864–1927)
29 November 191826 September 1919301 daysPNLI.I.C. Brătianu V
27 Artur Văitoianu
(1864–1956)
27 September 191930 November 191964 daysMil.Văitoianu
28 Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
(1872–1950)
19191 December 191912 March 1920102 daysPNRVaida-Voevod I
(24) Alexandru Averescu
(1859–1938)
192013 March 192016 December 19211 year, 278 daysPPAverescu II
29 Take Ionescu
(1858–1922)
17 December 192119 January 192233 daysPCDIonescu
(22) Ion I. C. Brătianu
(1864–1927)
192219 January 192229 March 19264 years, 69 daysPNLI.I.C. Brătianu VI
(24) Alexandru Averescu
(1859–1938)
192630 March 19264 June 19271 year, 66 daysPPAverescu III
30 Barbu Știrbey
(1873–1946)
4 June 192720 June 192716 daysInd.Știrbey
(22) Ion I. C. Brătianu
(1864–1927)
192721 June 192724 November 1927156 daysPNLI.I.C. Brătianu VII
31 Vintilă Brătianu
(1867–1930)
24 November 19279 November 1928351 daysPNLV. Brătianu
32 Iuliu Maniu
(1873–1953)
192810 November 19286 June 19301 year, 208 daysPNȚManiu I
33 Gheorghe Mironescu
(1874–1949)
7 June 193012 June 19305 daysPNȚMironescu I
(32) Iuliu Maniu
(1873–1953)
13 June 19309 October 1930118 daysPNȚManiu II
(33) Gheorghe Mironescu
(1874–1949)
10 October 193017 April 1931189 daysPNȚMironescu II
34 Nicolae Iorga
(1871–1940)
193118 April 19315 June 19321 year, 48 daysPNDIorga
(28) Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
(1872–1950)
19326 June 193219 October 1932221 daysPNȚVaida-Voevod IIIII
(32) Iuliu Maniu
(1873–1953)
20 October 193213 January 193385 daysPNȚManiu III
(28) Alexandru Vaida-Voevod
(1872–1950)
14 January 193313 November 1933303 daysPNȚVaida-Voevod IV
35 Ion G. Duca
(1879–1933)
193314 November 193329 December 1933 †45 daysPNLDuca
Constantin Angelescu
(1870–1948)
acting prime minister
29 December 19333 January 19345 daysPNLAngelescu
36 Gheorghe Tătărescu
(1886–1957)
4 January 193428 December 19373 years, 358 daysPNLTătărescu IIIIIIIV
37 Octavian Goga
(1881–1938)
193729 December 193710 February 193843 daysPNCGoga
38 Patriarch
Miron Cristea
(1868–1939)
11 February 19386 March 1939 †1 year, 23 daysInd.Cristea IIIIII
39 Armand Călinescu
(1893–1939)
19397 March 193921 September 1939 †198 daysFRNCălinescu
40 Gheorghe Argeșanu
(1883–1940)
21 September 193928 September 19397 daysMil.Argeșanu
41 Constantin Argetoianu
(1871–1955)
28 September 193923 November 193956 daysFRNArgetoianu
(36) Gheorghe Tătărescu
(1886–1957)
24 November 19393 July 1940222 daysFRNTătărescu VVI
42 Ion Gigurtu
(1886–1959)
4 July 19404 September 194062 daysFRNGigurtu
43 Ion Antonescu[b]
(1882–1946)
4 September 194023 August 19443 years, 354 daysMil.Antonescu IIIIII
44 Constantin Sănătescu
(1885–1947)
23 August 19445 December 1944104 daysMil.Sănătescu III
45 Nicolae Rădescu
(1874–1953)
6 December 194428 February 194584 daysMil.Rădescu
46 Petru Groza
(1884–1958)

1946
6 March 194530 December 19472 years, 299 daysFPGroza III

Romanian People's Republic/Socialist Republic of Romania (1947–1989)

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Presidents of the Council of Ministers (informally Prime Ministers)
(1947–1989)
46 Petru Groza
(1884–1958)

1948
30 December 19472 June 19524 years, 155 daysFPGroza IIIIV
47 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
(1901–1965)

1952
2 June 19524 October 19553 years, 124 daysPMRGheorghiu-Dej III
48 Chivu Stoica
(1908–1975)

1957
4 October 195520 March 19615 years, 167 daysPMRStoica III
49 Ion Gheorghe Maurer
(1902–2000)
1961
1965
1969
21 March 196127 February 197412 years, 343 daysPCRMaurer I–II–III–IV–V
50 Manea Mănescu
(1916–2009)

1975
27 February 197430 March 19795 years, 31 daysPCRMănescu I–II
51 Ilie Verdeț
(1925–2001)

1980
30 March 197920 May 19823 years, 51 daysPCRVerdeț I–II
52 Constantin Dăscălescu
(1923–2003)

1985
21 May 198222 December 1989
(Deposed)
7 years, 215 daysPCRDăscălescu I–II

Contemporary Romania (1989–present)

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ElectionTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet
Parties
President
(Term)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Prime Ministers
(since 1989)
Council of the National Salvation Front
de facto
22 December 198926 December 19894 daysFSNProvisionalItself
(1989)
53 Petre Roman
(born 1946)
[c]
26 December 198928 June 19901 year, 294 daysFSN[d]Roman I
FSN
Ion Iliescu
(1989–1996)
199028 June 199030 April 1991Roman II
FSN
30 April 199116 October 1991Roman III
FSN
54 Theodor Stolojan
(born 1943)
[e]
16 October 199119 November 19921 year, 34 daysFSN[f]Stolojan
FSNPNLMERPDAR
55 Nicolae Văcăroiu
(born 1943)
199219 November 199211 December 19964 years, 22 daysPDSRVăcăroiu
FDSNPDSR[g]
56 Victor Ciorbea
(born 1954)
199612 December 199630 March 19981 year, 108 daysPNȚCD[h]Ciorbea
PNȚCDPNLPDUDMRPSDR
Emil Constantinescu
(1996–2000)
Gavril Dejeu
(born 1932)
acting prime minister

[i]
30 March 199817 April 199818 daysPNȚCD
57 Radu Vasile
(1942–2013)
17 April 199813 December 19991 year, 240 daysPNȚCDVasile
PNȚCDPNLPDUDMRPSDR
-Alexandru Athanasiu
(born 1955)
acting prime minister
13 December 199922 December 19999 daysPSDR[j]
58 Mugur Isărescu
(born 1949)
[k]
22 December 199928 December 20001 year, 6 daysInd.[l]Isărescu
PNȚCDPNLPDUDMR
59 Adrian Năstase
(born 1950)
200028 December 200021 December 20043 years, 359 daysPSDNăstase
(PSDRPDSR)→PSD[m]PUR
Ion Iliescu
(2000–2004)
Eugen Bejinariu
(born 1959)
acting prime minister
21 December 200428 December 20047 daysPSD
Traian Băsescu
(2004–2014)
60 Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
(born 1952)
200429 December 20045 April 20073 years, 359 daysPNL[n]Tăriceanu I
PNLPDPUR/PC[o]UDMR
5 April 200722 December 2008Tăriceanu II
PNLPD/PDLPC
PRM
61 Emil Boc
(born 1966)
200822 December 200823 December 20093 years, 46 daysPDL[p]Boc I
PDLPSD
23 December 20096 February 2012Boc II
PDLUDMRUNPR
Cătălin Predoiu
(born 1968)
acting prime minister

[q]
6 February 20129 February 20123 daysInd.[r]
62 Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu
(born 1968)
9 February 20127 May 201288 daysInd.[s]Ungureanu
PDLPSD
63 Victor Ponta
(born 1972)
7 May 201221 December 20123 years, 46 daysPSD[t]Ponta I
USL (PNLPSDPC)
201221 December 20125 March 2014Ponta II
USL (PNLPSDPCUNPR)
5 March 201417 December 2014Ponta III
PSDUNPRPCPLRUDMR
17 December 201422 June 2015Ponta IV
PSDUNPRALDE
Klaus Iohannis
(2014–present)
Gabriel Oprea
(born 1961)
acting prime minister
22 June 20159 July 201517 daysUNPR
(63) Victor Ponta
(born 1972)
9 July 201529 July 201520 daysPSD
Gabriel Oprea
(born 1961)
acting prime minister
29 July 201510 August 201512 daysUNPR
(63) Victor Ponta
(born 1972)
10 August 20155 November 201587 daysPSD
Sorin Cîmpeanu
(born 1968)
acting prime minister
5 November 201517 November 201512 daysALDE[u]
64 Dacian Cioloș
(born 1969)
17 November 20154 January 20171 year, 48 daysInd.[v]Cioloș
Technocratic
65 Sorin Grindeanu
(born 1973)
20164 January 201729 June 2017176 daysPSDGrindeanu
PSDALDE
66 Mihai Tudose
(born 1967)
29 June 201716 January 2018201 daysPSD[w]Tudose
PSDALDE
Mihai Fifor
(born 1970)
acting prime minister
16 January 201829 January 201813 daysPSD
67 Viorica Dăncilă
(born 1963)
29 January 20184 November 20191 year, 279 daysPSD[x]Dăncilă
PSDALDE[y]
68 Ludovic Orban[z]
(born 1963)
4 November 201914 March 20201 year, 33 daysPNL[aa]Orban I
PNL
14 March 20207 December 2020Orban II
PNL
Nicolae Ciucă
(born 1967)
acting prime minister
7 December 202023 December 202016 daysPNL
69 Florin Cîțu[ab]
(born 1972)
202023 December 202025 November 2021337 daysPNLCîțu
PNLUSR PLUS[ac]UDMR
70 Nicolae Ciucă[ad]
(born 1967)
25 November 202112 June 20231 year, 199 daysPNLCiucă
PSDPNLUDMR
Cătălin Predoiu
(born 1968)
acting prime minister
12 June 202315 June 20233 daysPNL
71 Marcel Ciolacu
(born 1967)
15 June 2023Incumbent321 daysPSDCiolacu
PSDPNL

Note: Romania used the Julian calendar prior to 1919, but all dates are given in the Gregorian calendar.

Timeline

Marcel CiolacuFlorin CîțuNicolae CiucăLudovic OrbanViorica DăncilăMihai FiforMihai TudoseSorin GrindeanuDacian CioloșSorin CîmpeanuGabriel OpreaVictor PontaMihai Răzvan UngureanuCătălin PredoiuEmil BocCălin Popescu-TăriceanuEugen BejinariuAdrian NăstaseMugur IsărescuAlexandru AthanasiuRadu VasileGavril DejeuVictor CiorbeaNicolae VăcăroiuTheodor StolojanPetre RomanList of members of the National Salvation Front CouncilConstantin DăscălescuIlie VerdețManea MănescuIon Gheorghe MaurerChivu StoicaGheorghe Gheorghiu-DejPetru GrozaNicolae RădescuConstantin SănătescuIon AntonescuIon GigurtuConstantin ArgetoianuGheorghe ArgeșanuArmand CălinescuPatriarch Miron of RomaniaOctavian GogaGheorghe TătărescuConstantin AngelescuIon G. DucaNicolae IorgaGheorghe MironescuIuliu ManiuVintilă BrătianuBarbu ȘtirbeyTake IonescuAlexandru Vaida-VoevodArtur VăitoianuConstantin CoandăAlexandru MarghilomanAlexandru AverescuTitu MaiorescuIon I. C. BrătianuPetre P. CarpGheorghe Grigore CantacuzinoPetre S. AurelianDimitrie SturdzaGheorghe ManuTheodor RosettiDimitrie BrătianuIon BrătianuIon Emanuel FlorescuManolache Costache EpureanuAlexandru G. GolescuDimitrie GhicaNicolae GolescuȘtefan GolescuConstantin A. KretzulescuLascăr CatargiuIon GhicaConstantin BosianuMihail KogălniceanuNicolae CrețulescuApostol ArsacheBarbu Catargiu

Notes

See also

References

Bibliography

  • Nicolae C. Nicolescu, Șefii de stat și de guvern ai României (1859–2003), Editura Meronia, Bucharest, 2003
  • Stelian Neagoe, Istoria guvernelor României de la începuturi – 1859 până în zilele noastre – 1995, Editura Machiavelli, Bucharest, 1995

External links