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PSD's Mihai Tudose designated by President Iohannis for Premier
Mihai Tudose, the Social Democratic Party (PSD)'s proposition for Prime Minister, was designated by President Klaus Iohannis for Premier on Monday evening, after consultations at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace with the parliamentary parties.
"This crisis we are going through - as it is a political crisis - does a lot of harm to Romania. It harms the Romanian economy, Romania's image throughout the world and I believe (...) this crisis should be put an end to, and very fast. We must have a new government as soon as possible, a government starting to solve the still unsolved problems, namely the problems that have come up because this crisis that started inside the PSD. (...) Taking all these into account and taking into account that there is an urgent need for a new government, I designate Mr Tudose as the next Prime Minister, who will have discussions in the coming days and will come before Parliament with a governmental team," Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.
According to the head of state, PSD and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) maintain they are still holding the majority in Parliament.
"These two parties have come together to the consultations and have forwarded a proposal in the person of Mr Tudose. The Opposition parties, in fact, didn't have concrete proposals for the prime minister office and the talks didn't point to a political understanding existing among Opposition parties. (...) I am asking the parliamentary parties, not only PSD and ALDE, to start right away to draw up an agenda allowing the completion of the parliamentary procedures this very week," Iohannis showed.
Lawmakers are expected to approve Tudose’s government on Thursday.
Mihai Tudose, 50, comes from the town of Braila, in Eastern Romania. He has been a member of the Social Democratic Party for 25 years, holding various positions within the party. He was economy minister in Victor Ponta’s cabinet from 2014 until November 2015 and has held the same position in the Grindeanu cabinet this year. He’s also a member of the Chamber of Deputies.
Tudose holds a Bachelor’s degree in judicial and administrative studies from the Dimitrie Cantemis Christian University. He has also completed two master’s programs and carried out a doctorate program at the Mihai Viteazu National Intelligence Academy, which is run by the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI).
His connection to the SRI hasn’t gone unnoticed by Tudose’s party colleagues, who expressed some suspicion related to his loyalty. PSD leader Liviu Dragnea himself said that he didn’t doubt Tudose’s loyalty to the party but that some of his colleagues were more suspicious, given the bad experience with Sorin Grindeanu.
“I had no shadow of doubt that Tudose has double command, there have been tensed moments and I haven’t seen any hesitation”, Dragnea stated, also explaining why four PSD members have vetoed Tudose. “After Grindeanu, the suspicion is high”.
Asked about plagiarism suspicions against Tudose, Dragnea reminded that the latter has filed a request for his PhD title’s withdrawal.
“I am no expert on PhD theses, but as far as I can remember Victor Ponta was also charged with plagiarism and used to be a good premier,” Dragnea said.
Moreover, according to the latest analysis of the party on Grindeanu’s Cabinet activity, Mihai Tudose, minister of Economy, was also among the ministers who had no achievements at the helm of the Economy Ministry. The review of his activity conducted by Darius Valcov says that Tudose had zero achievements, two measures partially achieved, and 17 measures which were not achieved at all.
Yet, SocDem vice-president Olgura Vasilescu said on Monday that Mihai Tudose “has carried out all goals, but they have been blocked by the premier (en-Sorin Grindeanu).”
Romania is the European Union's fastest growing economy but one of its poorest and most corrupt states, with massive investment needs in its underdeveloped transport, healthcare and education sectors.