Member of the European Parliament Niku Štefanutse (elected on the USR list) announced on Friday at a press conference that he will run as an independent candidate for a new mandate to the European Parliament (EP), going to collect signatures for his candidacy.

“I want to announce my candidacy for the European Parliament as an independent, but not alone. Independent but not alone means that I have tried and continue to build a progressive green movement with modern European politics, just like me. I have two small parties with me, they are called ACUM and SENS, which are part of this coalition. I have civil society organizations, student organizations, I work with young people, so I’m not alone and I’m glad that I also have a European Green Family that supports this development project in Romania. We all believe that Romania really needs a party and a movement, but in reality not only in name, not only in face,” explained Niku Stefanuce at the press conference, Agerpres reports.

Niku Štefanuce clarified that he must collect 100,000 signatures to be able to present his candidacy as an independent deputy, and he will need 300,000 votes to receive a new mandate as a member of the European Parliament.

“The elections to the European Parliament are the only ones that have been successful from the point of view of independent candidates,” he said, pointing to Tokes Laszlo, Elena Besescu and Mircea Diacona. Stefanuce also claimed that according to a survey conducted in 2023, about 30% of Romanians are ready to vote for an independent candidate for the European Parliament, which is explained by “disappointment with the parties in general”.

MEPs Thomas Weitz (Austria), co-president of the European Greens, and Alexandra Gese (Germany), vice-president of the Group of Greens, also attended the press conference of MEP Nick Štefanuc.

In December 2023, MEP Niku Štefanuce was elected as Vice-President of the Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance (ALE) in the European Parliament. According to a press release cited by Agerpres, Niku Stefanuțe is the first Member of the European Parliament from Romania, a member of the Green Group in the European Parliament and the first MEP from Eastern Europe to be elected to this position.

In September 2023, Niku Stefanuce founded the Progressive Green Coalition together with the Volt, ACUM and SENS parties in Bucharest.

Niku Stefanuce, elected on the USR list, is a member of the European Parliament for the first time. He resigned from the UDR in January 2023 and is currently independent.