Romania's ruling Social Democrats nominate MEP Viorica Dancila for prime minister

The leadership of Romania’s governing Social Democrats (PSD) on Tuesday nominated Viorica Dancila, a MEP since 2009, for the seat of prime minister, in the wake of PM Mihai Tudose’s withdrawal on Monday. Dancila is a politician who has grown in local politics in an area long ruled by current PSD leader Liviu Dragnea.

If confirmed by the President, Dancila will take over as PM from Mihai Fifor, the Defense minister named interim prime minister earlier today.

The changes at the helm of the government come as Mihai Tudose was forced to step down as PM following a power struggle within the party with Liviu Dragnea.

Dancila would be the third PSD prime minister since the party won the 2016 elections and the fourth nominee for the position. In the wake of the election, the PSD nominated a person close to Dragnea, Sevil Shhaideh, who was refused by the President. It then nominated Sorin Grindeanu, who served until summer, when he was forced to step down in a battle for control of the party with Dragnea. Tudose took over at the time, but history repeated and he himself was forced to leave office on Monday.

Dragnea himself, who is speaker of the House, cannot serve as prime minister because he has a suspended criminal sentence for corruption-related charges.

Dancila, 54, has been serving as MP since 2009. She is also the president of Social Democratic Women’s Organisation. She became a member of the PSD in 1996 and served within the Teleorman county branch of the party for a long time. Dragnea is seen as the baron of Teleorman and neighboring counties, as he had served as county council head before joining national level politics in the late 2000’s.

She is known to have supported PSD attempts to massively change the laws of justice, in a governing party attempt to subdue the fight against corruption.