- Title: Romanian Social Democrats propose leftist veteran for PM
- Date: 28th December 2016
- Summary: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (DECEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY HEADQUARTERS SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY LEADER, LIVIU DRAGNEA, ENTERING HALL MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY LEADER, LIVIU DRAGNEA, SAYING: "I've proposed to my colleagues, after I consulted (ALDE) president (Calin) Tariceanu who agreed, to propose Sorin Grindeanu to president (Klaus) Iohannis." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) PRIME MINISTER NOMINEE, SORIN GRINDEANU, SAYING: "This is a great responsibility and I feel it on my back, not only the votes I've received from my colleagues today, but also the Romanian people's vote for the governing program which we have to put into practice." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY LEADER, LIVIU DRAGNEA, SAYING: "Sorin Grindeanu doesn't go there (to lead the government) for short period of time, Sorin Grindeanu goes there for a full four-year term (as prime minister)." SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY SIGN ON THE WALL, READING (Romanian): PROSPERITY, SOLIDARITY, DIGNITY LIVIU DRAGNEA AND SORIN GRINDEANU LEAVING
- Embargoed: 12th January 2017 17:29
- Keywords: Romania prime minister Sorin Grindeanu
- Location: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
- City: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
- Country: Romania
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ESSXFD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Romania's Social Democrat party (PSD), victor of a general election two weeks ago, on Wednesday (December 28) proposed former telecommunications minister Sorin Grindeanu, a veteran leftist politician, for prime minister.
The PSD's first pick to lead the cabinet was Sevil Shhaideh, a close associate of PSD leader Liviu Dragnea, who was ruled out of the job by his criminal sentence in a 2012 referendum-rigging case. Shhaideh's nomination was rejected by the president.
Grindeanu, a 43-year-old mathematician and former deputy mayor of the western city of Timisoara, currently the head of Timis county governing council, is expected to easily win the presidential seal of approval, political commentators said.
"Sorin Grindeanu doesn't go there (to lead the government) for short period of time, Sorin Grindeanu goes there for a full four-year term," Dragnea told reporters.
Dragnea said it was unlikely a new leftist government would be in place before the end of the year. He has said he will closely watch over the government's performance.
The PSD won the Dec. 11 election by a wide margin and, with coalition partner and long-time ally ALDE, has 250 of the 465 seats in the two houses of parliament, meaning it would easily get parliamentary approval for its government.
The PSD's clear election victory has heightened uncertainty over Romania's ability to keep its budget deficit below the EU's ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product, as their governing programme includes ambitious spending plans.
The PSD and its ALDE junior ally will send the proposal to President Klaus Iohannis later in the day and the president is expected to endorse a prime minister-designate on Thursday (December 29).
"This is a great responsibility and I feel it on my back, not only the votes I've received from my colleagues today, but also the Romanian people's vote for the governing program which we have to put into practice," Grindeanu said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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