The Romanian Senate elected Corina-Raluca Încroșnatu as the new president of the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) secured her presidency, with Încroșnatu receiving 81 votes in favor and 34 against. Corina-Raluca Încroșnatu, previously the vice-president of the ICR, will lead the institution for the next four years.

She was the sole candidate to pass the committee stage, receiving a favorable opinion from the reunited culture and foreign policy committees of the Senate, as reported by stiripesurse. ro. In addition to the presidency, the vice-presidency positions were filled by candidates from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR).

Adriana Gae, proposed by AUR, received 73 votes in favor and 43 against for a vice-presidency. Attila Iuliu Weinberger, from UDMR, secured his position with 89 votes for and 27 against. The outgoing president, Liviu Jicman, who was supported by several creative unions and the National Liberal Party (PNL), did not obtain the necessary support to continue.

Despite backing from these groups, Jicman failed to secure enough votes in the parliamentary committees. The election process faced controversy, with PNL and the Save Romania Union (USR) launching accusations against PSD and AUR. Daniel Fenechiu, leader of PNL senators, declared that PNL would not support candidates from PSD and AUR, according to Agerpres.

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ro. Ștefan Pălărie, a USR senator, described the vote as a "PSD-AUR marriage" regarding the ICR leadership. PSD and AUR rejected these accusations, maintaining that the election process was conducted fairly.

Corina-Raluca Încroșnatu's election marks a significant shift in the leadership dynamics of the ICR, given the previous support for Liviu Jicman from the creative unions and PNL. The Romanian Cultural Institute, responsible for promoting Romanian culture abroad, matters in cultural diplomacy. The new leadership is expected to continue this mission, with Încroșnatu at the helm.

The ICR Management Board also saw new proposals with Dumitru Goldbach from the PACE - Întâi România parliamentary group and Zsolt Karacsony from UDMR. These appointments reflect the diverse political interests involved in the governance of the ICR. The next steps for the newly elected leadership will involve setting strategic priorities for the ICR, although specific plans have not yet been announced.

The shift in leadership comes at a time when cultural institutions globally face challenges in adapting to post-pandemic realities and changing cultural landscapes. The Romanian Senate's decision emphasizes the political intricacies involved in cultural appointments, highlighting the role of parliamentary support in shaping the direction of national cultural policy.