- Alexandru Athanasiu
Infobox_Prime Minister | name =Alexandru Athanasiu
nationality =
small
caption =
order =InterimPrime Minister of Romania
term_start =December 13 ,1999
term_end =December 22 ,1999
vicepresident =
deputy =
predecessor =Radu Vasile
successor =Mugur Isărescu
birth_date =Birth date and age|1955|1|1|mf=y
birth_place =Bucharest
death_date =
death_place =
constituency =
party =Romanian Social Democratic Party
spouse =
profession =jurist
religion =
footnotes =|Alexandru Athanasiu (born
January 1 ,1955 ) is aRomania n politician and jurist. A former leader of the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR), he is a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) since 2001. Athanasiu served as Prime Minister on an interim basis fromDecember 13 toDecember 22 ,1999 , heading theRomanian Democratic Convention (CDR) cabinet after the resignation ofRadu Vasile . OnJanuary 1 ,2007 , with theaccession of Romania to the European Union , Athanasiu became aMember of the European Parliament for the PSD (inside theParty of European Socialists ).An author of several scientific works, he is the recipient of a
PhD in Law, as well as a professor at theUniversity of Bucharest (since 1999). In 1995, his volume "Legea Asigurărilor Sociale" ("The Law on Social Security") received theRomanian Academy 's "Simion Bărnuţiu Award".Biography
Born in
Bucharest , Athanasiu studied at theGheorghe Lazăr High School , and later graduated from the Faculty of Law at the local university. Between 1978 and 1982, he was employed by the Bucharest Court of Appeals.Having joined the newly-created PSDR after the
Romanian Revolution of 1989 , Athanasiu was first elected to Parliament as a deputy in 1992, being nominated to the Committee for Labor and Social Protection.A Minister of Labor in the
Victor Ciorbea CDR cabinet, he retained the office under Radu Vasile and his own premiership, being replaced bySmaranda Dobrescu during the leadership ofMugur Isărescu . In 1999, he replacedSergiu Cunescu at the head of the PSDR, leading it into fusion withAdrian Năstase 's Party of Social Democracy, PDSR (the fusion led to the creation of the PSD).In 2000, he was elected to the Romanian Senate on PSDR lists, representing
Bihor County (re-elected in 2004 on PSD lists); he stood on the Committee for Foreign Policies. In 2003-2004, Athanasiu also served as Minister of Education in the Adrian Năstase executive (replacingEcaterina Andronescu ).Athanasiu is married with two children.
References
*ro icon [http://www.senat.ro/FisaSenator.aspx?ID=5 Biography at the Romanian Senate]
*ro icon [http://www.cdep.ro/pls/parlam/structura.mp?idm=6&cam=1&leg=2004&pag=1&idl=1 Biography at the Romanian Chamber of Deputies]External links
* [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/yourMep/view.do;?id=33994 European Parliament profile]
* [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/mepphoto/33994.jpgEuropean Parliament official photo]
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