Appointment and early moves

In April 2012, after the government of Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu fell due to the passage of a motion of no confidence, President Traian Băsescu designated Ponta as Prime Minister.^[30] His cabinet, including ministers from the PSD, the PNL, independents and one from the Conservative Party (PC), received parliamentary approval the following month, and Ponta thus became prime minister.^[31][32] Upon taking office in the midst of a continent-wide recession, he vowed to promote economic growth and job creation solely from within the private sector, but also to increase public-sector salaries.^[33] In June, the USL came in first overall at the local election; Ponta singled out the alliance's victory in Bucharest as a "historic moment".^[34]

In the opening weeks of his mandate, Ponta became involved in several controversies. His government transferred oversight of the Romanian Cultural Institute from the Presidency to the Parliament, claiming this would increase transparency. However, the move drew criticism from its head, Horia-Roman Patapievici, as well as from other artists and cultural figures who feared the institute would become politicized.^[35] His steps to change the leadership of Romanian Television provoked dissension from many of the broadcaster's employees, who charged the government with "destroying" public television. He pushed through a new electoral law establishing a first-past-the-post voting system, but this was rejected by the Constitutional Court. A dispute with Băsescu arose over who would represent Romania at the European Council, with the court ruling in the latter's favor,^[36] although Ponta attended the subsequent council nevertheless.^[37]

Plagiarism controversy

A month into his term as premier, an article published in Nature reported that an anonymous source had charged Ponta with plagiarizing over half his doctoral thesis,^[38][39] claims that were later reiterated by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.^[40] Ponta admitted that the referencing system used by his thesis did not provide clear attribution of its sources, but rejected the allegations of plagiarism.^[40][41] Dumitru Diaconu, a law professor and author supposedly plagiarised by Ponta's thesis, and who also authored a foreword for the published edition of the thesis, declared he was not aware of plagiarism and did not intend to pursue the accusations.^[42] A session of a committee charged with validating academic titles analyzed the thesis and decided with a unanimous vote of members present that Ponta had committed copy and paste plagiarism, subsequently requesting the withdrawal of Ponta's doctoral title. In response, interim Education Minister Liviu Pop (PSD) contested the committee's jurisdiction and dismissed the findings, citing the lack of a quorum. The minister had already signed an order reorganizing the committee the previous day, but, due to technical reasons, the order came into effect during the very session analyzing the thesis.^[43]

Another committee, subordinated to the Education Ministry, later found that Ponta did not commit plagiarism.^[44] A third committee, convoked by the University of Bucharest and consisting of ten members, each from a different department, unanimously found that Ponta had indeed deliberately plagiarized at least a third of his thesis. Ponta replied that the committee was an "ad-hoc" one designed especially for him, and that the decision was a "political" one.^{[45][46][47][48]} In August 2012, three individuals filed suit against Ponta, asking prosecutors to open a legal case against him for intellectual fraud. The latter opted against proceeding, the former appealed, and in March 2014, the High Court of Cassation and Justice rejected their appeal.^[49] In December 2014, citing the controversy surrounding his thesis, asked that the University of Bucharest withdraw his doctoral title. The university responded that it would comply with his request.^[50] Later that month, his government adopted an ordinance allowing individuals to renounce academic diplomas and titles;^[51] the move was criticized by the student federation ANOSR.^[52] In summer 2016, a revamped committee decided, with 34 votes in favor and one abstention, that Ponta did indeed plagiarize his thesis, prompting Education Minister Mircea Dumitru to sign an order withdrawing his title of doctor.^[53]

Until the controversy began and his official curriculum vitae was modified, he claimed in the document to have received a master's degree in International Criminal Law from the University of Catania in 2000. That institution's rector replied to an enquiry by stating an internal verification had revealed Ponta was never at the University of Catania. In turn, Ponta stated that he took a course there and received a diploma.^[54]

Political crisis and parliamentary election

Beginning in July 2012, Ponta found himself at the heart of a political crisis. This culminated in Băsescu's suspension from office by Parliament, an action strongly promoted by Ponta, and which triggered an unsuccessful referendum on impeaching Băsescu.^[55][56][57]

Following the USL victory at the December 2012 parliamentary election,^[58] including Ponta winning 61% of the vote in his own seat, where he was challenged by Dan Diaconescu,^[59] Băsescu named Ponta to another term as premier.^[60] Subsequently, the two signed a cooperation accord, while tensions with the PNL deepened. These grew especially apparent in April 2013, when Ponta, as interim Justice Minister, named Laura Codruța Kövesi to head the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) in spite of objections from the PNL, who viewed her as a Băsescu ally.^[61] In February 2014, the PNL left the government, marking the end of the USL, the precipitating motive being Ponta's refusal to name Klaus Iohannis as deputy prime minister.^[62] Ponta, by now head of a Social Democratic Union (USD) involving his party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the PC, went on to form a new government with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR).^[63][64] During Ponta's first two years in office, his cabinets significantly raised the salaries of public-sector employees, which Băsescu and his allies had cut by 25% in 2010. At the same time, he raised or introduced a number of taxes and fees, one of the most widely-felt being an increase in the fuel tax.^[65] He confronted two environmentally sensitive issues: the Roșia Montană Project, which he initially opposed but later became more open to the idea;^[66] and shale gas extraction through fracking, which he first backed but then shifted to preferring exploitation of natural gas from the Black Sea.^[67]

Presidential candidacy, aftermath and resignation

In late July 2014, Ponta launched his candidacy for the upcoming presidential race, at the same time beginning to attack his chief rival, Iohannis.^[68] He placed first in the election's first round, with 40.4% of the vote, and faced Iohannis in the runoff.^[69] In the second round, he was defeated by Iohannis on a 54.5%-45.5% margin.^[70] Reportedly, an important factor in his defeat was the poor organization of the election's first round among the Romanian diaspora. This voting bloc and its domestic sympathizers were galvanized to turn out against Ponta in the second round.^[71] The following month, the UDMR quit the government, and Ponta subsequently formed his fourth cabinet, in which he also included two ministers apiece from the PC and the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR).^[72]

In June 2015, the DNA opened a criminal investigation against Ponta, alleging forgery, complicity in tax evasion and money laundering allegedly committed while he was a lawyer; and a conflict of interest for naming former business associate Dan Șova to several positions while prime minister. Iohannis called on Ponta to resign, which the latter refused to do.^[73] Subsequently, and in accord with his expressed wishes, the Chamber rejected the prosecutorial request to lift his immunity; most of those siding with him came from the PSD, as well as its allies (UNPR, PC and PLR), and the ethnic minorities parties.^[74] Later that month, Ponta left for Turkey to undergo knee surgery;^[75] during his recovery, Gabriel Oprea took over as interim prime minister,^[76] serving until Ponta's return in early July.^[77] Days later, he resigned as PSD president, citing a desire to safeguard the party's image while he faces criminal charges; Rovana Plumb took over on an interim basis.^[29] The DNA then formally indicted Ponta, initiating procedures to freeze a part of his assets.^[78] From the end of July until early August, Ponta took another leave of absence for rest purposes, with Oprea again stepping in on a temporary basis.^[79][80] The case was sent to trial in September; Ponta was charged along with four other defendants, including Șova.^[81]

In late October 2015, a deadly nightclub fire sparked ample street protests. Within several days, these had swelled to over 25,000 participants in Bucharest alone. Among the demands voiced was the resignation of Ponta, tied within the protesters' ranks to corruption and official indifference. Bowing to pressure, he resigned, citing the "legitimate anger" of the public the "desire to place responsibility at higher levels" than the nightclub owners, and the hope that the expectations of the demonstrators had been met.^[82][83] A technocratic cabinet headed by Dacian Cioloș took office two weeks later; Ponta himself was absent from the confirmation vote.^[84] At the 2016 parliamentary election, Ponta retained his seat in the Chamber.^[85] In June 2017, he was named secretary general in the government of Sorin Grindeanu, with ministerial rank. In so doing, he was automatically expelled from the PSD, which had agreed to apply this penalty to any party member agreeing to serve under Grindeanu.^[86] Shortly after he took on the post, the government was ousted in a no-confidence vote.^[87]