Fourth_Ponta_Cabinet

Fourth Ponta Cabinet

Fourth Ponta Cabinet

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The Fourth Ponta Cabinet was the government of Romania from 17 December 2014 to 17 November 2015.[1] The Cabinet was supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), the alliance forged by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu's Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) and Daniel Constantin's Conservative Party (PC).[2][3] Fourteen of the ministerial portfolios were held by PSD members, three by ALDE, two by UNPR and two by independent members (although Sorin Cîmpeanu was a member of PC).

Quick Facts Ponta IV, Date formed ...

Overview and notable events

The Fourth Ponta Cabinet, unlike the previous cabinet, contained only politically appointed ministers. The post of deputy prime minister was abolished.[4] In addition, eight ministerial portfolios were consolidated into four:[5]

  • the Ministry of Scientific Research was merged into the Ministry of Education;
  • the Ministry of SMEs was merged into the Ministry of Economy;
  • the Ministry of Water and Forests was merged into the Ministry of Environment; and
  • the Ministry for the Budget was merged into the Ministry of Finance.

The reshuffling of the Third Ponta Cabinet came after ministers from the Hungarian-minority party, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), left the coalition and resigned from their respective ministries. Prime Minister Ponta decided to change the cabinet's image, which had been negatively affected by his loss in the November 2014 presidential elections and by a scandal involving voting procedures in the diaspora.

During the ceremony of taking the oath, outgoing president, Traian Băsescu, criticized two of the members of the new cabinet, Liviu Pop and Sorin Cîmpeanu, accusing them of contributing to the destruction of educational institutions, calling Ponta a liar and alluding to the plagiarism scandal that resulted in the prime minister surrendering his doctorate.[6]

The Opposition, headed by the National Liberal Party (PNL), announced a possible motion of censure after 1 February 2015,[7] with President Klaus Iohannis supporting the effort to bring down the Ponta government.[8] Iohannis also expressed support for a PNL-led government.[9] A no-confidence motion failed in September 2015, on a 207–276 vote.[10]

On 4 November 2015, Victor Ponta and his Cabinet resigned amid mass protests against generalised corruption linked to the Colectiv nightclub fire,[11] being succeeded by the Cioloș Cabinet, made up entirely by politically independent members.[12]

Structure

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Facts and statistics

The numbers below refer to the composition of the cabinet as of 20 May 2015:

  • Number of ministers: 21
  • Number of women: 4
  • Number of men: 17
  • Average age: 46.2 years
  • Youngest minister: Marius Nica (34 years)[18]
  • Oldest minister: Mircea Dușa (60 years)

Party breakdown

Party breakdown of cabinet ministers:


References

  1. "Guvernul Ponta IV a depus jurământul. Miniștrii cu care Traian Băsescu a refuzat să dea mâna și pe care i-a acuzat de fals". Știrile Pro TV (in Romanian). 17 December 2014.
  2. Sebastian Zachmann; Mădălina Mihalache; Alina Boghiceanu (14 December 2014). "Guvernul Ponta 4, în chinurile facerii: cine pleacă, cine vine. Miron Mitrea iese din politică: E o chestiune personală. Nu vreau spectacol". Adevărul (in Romanian).
  3. Udrea, Andreea; Bernaschi, Larisa (29 September 2015). "Un nou EŞEC pentru PNL. MOŢIUNEA de cenzură a fost RESPINSĂ. Liberalii mai aveau nevoie de 70 de voturi". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian).
  4. "VICTOR PONTA A DEMISIONAT: "Eu niciodată nu mă bat cu oamenii". SURSE: Opțiunile lui Iohannis pentru un nou premier: Cioloș sau Maior. PNL cere anticipate, PSD refuză" [VICTOR PONTA HAS RESIGNED: "I'm never fighting with the people". SOURCES: Iohannis' options for a new prime-minister: Cioloș or Maior. PNL requests early elections, PSD rejects] (in Romanian). EVZ.ro. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  5. Cristi Șelaru (17 November 2015). "Klaus Iohannis, mesaj de ULTIMĂ ORĂ pentru noii miniștri". stiripesurse.ro.
  6. "Gabriel Oprea şi-a delegat atribuţiile către Ilie Botoş". Antena3.ro (in Romanian). Antena3. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  7. "Noul ministru al Transporturilor, Iulian Matache, a depus jurământul". Jurnalul Naţiional (in Romanian). 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.

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