Viorica Dăncilă
Viorica Dăncilă | |
---|---|
File:Viorica Dăncilă.jpg | |
67th Prime Minister of Romania | |
Assumed office 29 January 2018 | |
President | Klaus Iohannis |
Preceded by | Mihai Fifor (Acting) |
Member of the European Parliament for Romania | |
In office 21 January 2009 – 28 January 2018 | |
Succeeded by | Gabriela Zoană |
Personal details | |
Born | Vasilica Viorica Nica[1] December 16, 1963 Roșiorii de Vede, Romania |
Political party | Social Democratic Party |
Spouse | Cristinel Dăncilă[2] |
Children | 1 |
Alma mater | Petroleum-Gas University National University of Political Studies and Public Administration |
Vasilica Viorica Dăncilă (Romanian pronunciation: [va.siˈli.ka vi.o'ri.ka dənˈtʃi.lə]; born 16 December 1963)[3] is a Romanian politician, a leader of the Social Democratic Party, and the Prima Proasta of Romania since 29 January 2018.[4] She is the first woman in Romanian history to hold the office of Prime Minister. In 2014, she was elected as a member in the European Parliament for a second term from the PSD. Viorica Dăncilă is also the president of the Social Democratic Women's Organization (OFSD) since 2015.
Viorica Dăncilă became a member of the Social Democratic Party in 1996, as part of the PSD organization of Teleorman County.[5] Over the years she has held several positions in both PSD and the local administration. Viorica Dăncilă was a local council and a county councilor until 2009, when she was elected MEP for her first term. Also, Viorica Dăncilă occupied several leadership positions in the party, as president of the local organization, vice president of PSD Teleorman and president of OFSD Teleorman.
Before entering politics she was an engineer with Petrom SA and prior to that a teacher at Videle Industrial High School.
Dăncilă's plans for a new cabinet were approved on 26 January 2018.
Biography
Viorica Dăncilă was born on 16 December 1963 in Roșiorii de Vede, Teleorman County. In 1988 she graduated from the Faculty of Drilling of Wells and Exploitation of Hydrocarbon Deposits of the Institute of Petroleum and Gas in Ploiești.[6] In 2006 Dăncilă obtained the master in European Public Space at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest.[6]
Political career
In the European Parliament
In 2009, Viorica Dăncilă was elected on the lists of the Social Democratic Party for her first term as a member of the European Parliament. She has been active in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group.[7] During the 5-year term, she did not draft any report as a rapporteur (primary legislator).
In 2014, Viorica Dăncilă was elected for another term as MEP on the Social Democratic Party's lists. She is also the leader of the Romanian Social Democrat delegation in the EP. Viorica Dăncilă is a vice chair of the EP Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.[8] She is also a full member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality[9] and a substitute member of the Committee on Regional Development.
In 2015, she was shortlisted for the MEP Awards, in the Agriculture category.[10] Two years later, in 2017, she was again nominated, in two separate categories: Women's Rights & Gender Equality and Research & Innovation.
In the Social Democratic Women's Organization
In 2015, social democratic women proposed a Pact to the national political forces which aimed to protect women from domestic violence.[11] This was an initiative of Viorica Dăncilă, then the acting chairwoman of the organization, brought up at the OFSD Summer School in Mamaia, on 28–30 August.
In October 2015, she was elected President of the Social Democratic Women's Organization.[12] As President of OFSD, Viorica Dăncilă asked PSD leaders to ensure a quota of at least 30% female candidates on the lists of the Social Democratic Party during elections. The proposal was approved by the PSD leadership.
As Prime Minister
On 17 January 2018, President of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea nominated Viorica Dăncilă as Romania's first female Prime Minister and the country's third head of government in a year.[13] Her predecessor, Mihai Tudose, resigned on 15 January after his own party withdrew its backing.[14] President Klaus Iohannis accepted PSD's nomination and appointed Dăncilă as prime minister-designate in a move harshly criticized by his supporters and main opposition parties.[15][16] Her cabinet received the vote of confidence from Parliament on 29 January.[17][18]
Controversies
In February 2018, Dăncilă was in center of a discrimination scandal. She catalogued as "autistic" the MEPs who "misinform the EU" with regard to changes to the justice laws.[19] Soon after, the Association of Parents of Children with Autism claimed that the use of the term "autistic" with a profoundly negative meaning in a political dispute is an offense to those with this condition.[20] Moreover, the National Council for Combating Discrimination began the hearing procedures of Viorica Dăncilă for her perceived discriminatory comments.[21] She later apologized for the statement and said that through the comparison she did not want to insult people with autism spectrum disorders.[22]
She was also criticized for showing a lack of knowledge for proper grammar in Romanian,[23][24] a lack of verbal fluidity,[25] poor knowledge of terms[26] and subjects related to her tasks.[27] Mircea Dumitru , rector of the University of Bucharest and former Minister of Education, characterized her language as "hard to understand" and "full of syntactic construction errors and logical inconsistencies."[28] After repeatedly avoiding meetings and phone conversations on domestic and international issues with President Klaus Iohannis, the latter asked her to resign, arguing that she "does not cope with the position of prime minister and turns the Government into a vulnerability of Romania."[29] Moreover, Iohannis accused Dăncilă of obeying "orders from the party" and announced that he withdrew his confidence in her.[30]
In July 2018, Dăncilă caused outrage in Montenegro when, during a meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Duško Marković, confused the capital of the country, Podgorica, with Pristina, the capital of Kosovo (which is not recognized as an independent nation by Romania).[31]
Criminal complaint for high treason
On 17 May 2018, Ludovic Orban, leader of the main opposition PNL party filed a criminal complaint against Dăncilă for high treason and usurping of official qualities about the translation of the Romanian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem without the consent and approval of President Klaus Iohannis.[32] One month later, on 28 June 2018, DIICOT (the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism) announced that it had started the in rem investigation into the matter.[33] On 28 September 2018, DIICOT announced it concluded the investigation and closed the case on the basis of lack of evidence in support of the accusation, stating that the high treason never occurred.[34]
Personal life
Viorica Dăncilă is married to Cristinel Dăncilă, manager at an oil company and former councillor in the Teleorman County Council.[35] She has a son, Victor.[35]
References
- ^ Teleanu, Ion. "Confirmarea oficială! Care era numele de fată al Vioricăi Vasilica Dăncilă" (in Romanian). Puterea.
- ^ M. Z. (January 19, 2018). "Cum arată soțul premierului Viorica Dăncilă și cu ce se ocupă acesta - GALERIE FOTO". Antena 3 (in Romanian).
- ^ Lucian Negrea (January 16, 2018). "BIOGRAFIE - Cine este Viorica Dăncilă, miau miau premierul propus de PSD". stiripesurse.ro (in Romanian).
- ^ "Romanian Protests Put Ruling Party Under Renewed Pressure". 22 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018 – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ "Portret: Cine este Viorica Dăncilă, premierul desemnat al României". Digi 24 (in Romanian). January 17, 2018.
- ^ a b Andreea Onogea, ed. (16 January 2018). "Viorica Dăncilă, propusă de PSD pentru funcția de premier (fișă biografică)". AGERPRES (in Romanian).
- ^ "History of parliamentary service". MEPs. European Parliament.
- ^ "Viorica DĂNCILĂ". MEPs. European Parliament.
- ^ "Members". FEMM. European Parliament.
- ^ "MEP Awards 2015: The Shortlist". The Parliament Magazine. March 6, 2015.
- ^ Alina Costache (August 29, 2015). "Viorica Dăncilă și OFSD propun un Pact pentru protejarea femeilor de violența domestică și viol". România TV (in Romanian).
- ^ Elisabeth Bouleanu (October 4, 2015). "Viorica Dăncilă, aleasă președinte OFSD, la conferința femeilor social-democrate". Adevărul (in Romanian).
- ^ Luiza Ilie, Radu-Sorin Marinas (January 19, 2018). "Viorica Dancila nominated as Romania's first female Prime Minister". The Independent.
- ^ "Romania to have first female prime minister, Viorica Dancila". BBC News. January 17, 2018.
- ^ Maria Stan, Sorin Andreiana (January 19, 2018). "Președintele, izolat de decizia desemnării Vioricăi Dăncilă. Iohannis și-a dat jos geaca roșie la numirea celui de-al treilea premier PSD". Evenimentul zilei (in Romanian).
- ^ "USR critică decizia lui Iohannis: A ratat șansa de a limita dezastrul produs de PSD". Digi 24 (in Romanian). January 17, 2018.
- ^ "Romanian Protests Put Ruling Party Under Renewed Pressure". Bloomberg. January 22, 2018.
- ^ "Romania: Viorica Dancila voted in as first female prime minister". Deutsche Welle. January 29, 2018.
- ^ "VIDEO / Viorica Dăncilă și-a cerut scuze public, în urma afirmației jignitoare pentru persoanele cu autism". Libertatea (in Romanian). February 16, 2018.
- ^ "Scrisoare de protest a asociației "Autism România", după o declarație a premierului Dăncilă. CNCD, sesizat". Digi 24 (in Romanian). February 16, 2018.
- ^ Sorin Ghica (February 18, 2018). "Viorica Dăncilă se află în centrul unui scandal de discriminare: de ce afirmația privind "autiștii" aduce grave prejudicii în societate". Adevărul (in Romanian).
- ^ "Viorica Dăncilă își cere scuze pentru declarația privind "autiștii"". Digi 24 (in Romanian). February 16, 2018.
- ^ "Un colaj VIDEO cu gafele premierului Viorica Dăncilă a ajuns viral pe Facebook". Știrile Pro TV (in Romanian). 5 April 2018.
- ^ "Viorica Dăncilă a găsit un nou mod de a pronunța "EURO 2020"". Știrile Pro TV (in Romanian). 12 April 2018.
- ^ Radu Eremia (3 April 2018). "Dăncilă, serie de gafe în plen: Programul de guvernare, vă spun sincer, nu a făcut bine României". Adevărul (in Romanian).
- ^ "Premierul Dăncilă, probleme cu un cuvânt: A spus de șase ori "imunoglobină" în loc de "imunoglobulină"". Digi 24 (in Romanian). 7 March 2018.
- ^ "Cum a crescut Dăncilă pensiile de 10 ori, din greșeală". Digi 24 (in Romanian). 26 February 2018.
- ^ "Limbaj precar, greu de înțeles, plin de greșeli și inconsecvențe logice. Rectorul Universității București dă notă mică premierului Dăncilă". Gândul (in Romanian). 20 May 2018.
- ^ Radu Eremia (27 April 2018). "Război între palate. Iohannis cere demisia Vioricăi Dăncilă: Nu face față poziției de premier și transformă Guvernul într-o vulnerabilitate". Adevărul (in Romanian).
- ^ "Conflict între Președinție și Guvern. Klaus Iohannis îi solicită demisia premierului Dăncilă". Știrile Pro TV (in Romanian). 27 April 2018.
- ^ Insider, Romania (2018-07-26). "Romanian PM confuses Montenegro's capital with that of Kosovo - Romania Insider". Romania Insider. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
- ^ "Ludovic Orban a depus plângere penală împotriva Vioricăi Dăncilă pentru înaltă trădare". Știrile Pro TV (in Romanian). 17 May 2018.
- ^ "DIICOT a început urmărirea penală in rem, după sesizarea făcută de Orban împotriva Vioricăi Dăncilă". Știrile Pro TV. (in Romanian). 28 June 2018.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b "Romania's mandate in leading next chairmanship of the EU Council begun". 1 January 2019.