Bucharest to elect the city general mayor
Bucharest’s voters will go to the polls on 7th December to elect their mayor.
Ştefan Stoica, 22.10.2025, 14:00
Concerned almost exclusively with the fiscal and budgetary reform, the government coalition, formed by the Social Democratic Party, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, has neglected, or has pretended to neglect, the issue of elections for Bucharest general mayor. The post has been vacant for five months, as its former occupant, Nicuşor Dan, ran as independent in the June elections and became the country’s president.
The coalition met on Tuesday and finally decided the date of the general mayor elections in Bucharest, namely 7th December, as announced by the first deputy president of the Liberals, Ciprian Ciucu. The latter said the parties in the coalition agreed to support their own candidates in these elections. The Social Democrats have warned that a possible electoral alliance in Bucharest between the Liberals and the Save Romania Union, who are more similar ideologically, will blow up the already fragile coalition.
The coalition parties also agreed that none of the candidates would withdraw in favour of another. If the deal is respected, it favours the Social Democrats, because the withdrawal of a candidate from either the Liberals or the Save Romania Union would put the other in “pole position” in the election race. We recall that based on a law that many have criticised but which no one is changing, mayors are elected in a single round, which creates a deficit of representativeness for the winner. Last but not least, the ruling parties have also decided that future candidates would not attack each during the campaign, but the history of election battles in Romania is yet to see a positive campaign.
Officially, only the Save Romania Union has appointed its candidate, its former leader and current MP Cătălin Drulă. Ciucu, who enjoys some popularity as mayor of the capital city’s sector 1, is among the favourites to run for the Liberals, but he is awaiting the party’s official decision. The Social Democrats have not decided on their candidate yet, but it’s very likely that sector mayor Daniel Băluţă may be the one. In a recent CURS poll, Băluţă would gather 25% of the votes, followed by Cătălin Drulă and Ciprian Ciucu, each with 18%. The poll was conducted between 8th and 17th October on a sample of 1,072 persons, representative for Bucharest’s adult population, and with a margin of error of +/- 3%.
From central heating and traffic to buildings that face collapse in the event of an earthquake and pollution, Bucharest has many big problems that need to be solved. Another essential aspect is the budget. In a referendum proposed by Nicuşor Dan and held last November, Bucharest’s voters said they agreed that the distribution between the Bucharest City and the sectors of the income tax and of local taxes and duties should be approved by the Bucharest General Council. They also gave the general mayor more authority as he would issue building permits for the entire city. The referendum is yet to be transposed into legislation.
