The rejection of Romania’s first female and Muslim PM leaves the Social Democrats in a difficult position

Despite winning Romania’s parliamentary election on 11 December 2016, the country’s Social Democrats (PSD) had their proposed candidate for prime minister rejected by Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis. Mihnea Stoica writes that the PSD now faces a difficult situation as any attempt to remove Iohannis from office would likely prove counter-productive.

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Politico and other news sources reported on the 30 December 2016 that President Iohannis designated Sorin Grindeanu as Romania’s new prime minister on that day, accepting the Social-Democrat Party-led coalition’s second nomination to lead a new Romanian government.

Romania's parliament approved on the 4 January 2017 a left-leaning government led by the Social Democratic Party's (PSD) Sorin Grindeanu, effectively ending a year-long political crisis.

ESO: Background information: Romania’s Social Democrats on track for landslide election win http://www.europeansources.info/record/romanias-social-democrats-on-track-for-landslide-election-win-romanias-election-in-spite-of-the-psds-comeback-anti-establishment-sentiment-is-stronger-than-ever/

ESO: Background information: Romanian parliamentary election, 11 December 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/romanian-parliamentary-election-11-december-2016/

The Guardian, 27.12.16: Romanian president rejects nomination of Muslim woman for PM https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/27/romanian-president-rejects-nomination-of-muslim-woman-sevil-shhaideh-for-pm

BBC News, 27.12.16: Romania President rejects Muslim Sevil Shhaideh as PM http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38443757

Politico, 30.12.16: Romania gets new prime minister http://www.politico.eu/article/romania-prime-minister-sorin-grindeanu-iohannis-shhaideh/

Euronews, 30.12.16: Romania: Veteran leftist Sorin Grindeanu named PM-designate http://www.euronews.com/2016/12/30/leftist-social-democrat-sorin-grindeanu-is-named-romania-s-prime-minister-designate-by-president-iohannis

Euro|Topics: Debates, January 2017: Romania's controversial new prime minister http://www.eurotopics.net/en/171930/romania-s-controversial-new-prime-minister

Balkan Insight, 30.12.16: Romanian President Approves New Social Democrat PM http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/veteran-social-democrat-grindeanu-officially-appointed-romanian-pm-12-30-2016

EurActiv, 02.01.17: Romanian PM hails decade of EU membership as time in office ends http://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/romanian-pm-hails-decade-of-eu-membership-as-time-in-office-ends/

EUObserver, 28.12.16: Romanian president rejects PM designate https://euobserver.com/political/136414

EurActiv, 03.01.17: Romania’s leftist Social Democrats name ministers in new government http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/romanias-leftist-social-democrats-name-ministers-in-new-government/

Deutsche Welle, 04.01.16: Romania's parliament approves left-leaning government http://dw.com/p/2VHtw

Social Europe Journal, 10.01.17: The New 'Normal': Romania’s Latest Political Crisis https://www.socialeurope.eu/2017/01/new-normal-romanias-latest-political-crisis-within-continuum-corruption/

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