Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban (bio)

Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban announced on 24 October 2019 the composition of the Cabinet he would submit to the vote of Parliament. On October 15, 2019, President Klaus Iohannis designated National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban as Prime Minister. Ludovic Orban was born on May 25, 1963, in Brasov. He graduated from the Faculty of Machine Construction Technology from the University of Brasov (1988). Postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences within the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (1993), according to www.cdep.ro.   Trainee Engineer at the Targul Secuiesc Isolator (1988-1990); technological engineer at "Tractorul Brasov" (1990-1991); editor of the daily "Viitorul Romanesc" (1991-1992). Director of Public Relations within the Energy Policy Agency of Romania (1997-1998). Secretary General at the State Secretariat for the Handicapped (1998-1999); Secretary of State, Head of the Department of Public Information of the Government (1999-2000), Secretary of State, President of the National Agency of Civil Servants (March 2000-May 2001). Local councilor of District 3 Bucharest (1992-1996); elected in 1996 local councilor of District 1, Bucharest, did not complete his mandate, resigning in 1997. Vice-mayor general of the Capital (June 2004-April 2007). In 1992 he became a member of PNL - Youth Wing (PNL-AT), later he became PL '93. From 1993-1997, he was a member of the PL '93 Steering Committee. In April 1998, he became a member of the National Council of PNL. Chairperson of PNL Bucharest (from November 15, 2002 to 2010) and member in the Permanent Central Bureau of PNL between 2002 and 2010, according to www.cdep.ro. Between 2009 and 2010, he was the first deputy-chair of PNL. Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Specialization in Communication and Public Relations, established by H.G. No.949/2000 (as of November 2000). Program Director, Foundation "Children of World Hope" (since June 2001). Consultant, S.C. ECOMASTER S.A. (1 Aug 2001-1 Dec 2002). He participated in four international programmes of public administration: March 2002, Germany (Gumersbach), training programme for the fight against corruption "Fighting against corruption", organized by the Foundation of the German Free Democratic Party; January-February 2000 Specialization programme in Communication and Public Relations, realized by the International Republican Institute of the US; October 1994, Great Britain, "Getting to Know the Political Institutions of Great Britain;" February-April 1992, the US, "Understanding the American Political and Electoral System", Program developed by the United States Information Agency. In 1992, he received a diploma from Bill Clinton, governor of Arkansas at that time, following this programme of study of the US electoral system. On April 5, 2007, he was invested with the role of Minister of Transport, in the reshuffled Tariceanu government, ending his mandate on December 22, 2008. At the local elections in June 2008, Ludovic Orban was the PNL candidate for the General City Hall of Bucharest, ranking fourth after the first round, with 64,600 votes. After the defeat from the premises he lost the leadership of the PNL Bucharest branch. In November 2008 he became a Liberal deputy from Bucharest, and from October 2009 to 2011 he also served as Deputy-Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. In the 2012-2016 legislature, he was re-elected Bucharest deputy from the PNL, being a member of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and of the Social Protection Committee (since March 2014). He was also a member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Ireland and the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the Republic of Ecuador. He was Deputy-Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies between September 2015 and September 2016, according to www.cdep.ro. On December 16, 2014, he was elected leader of the PNL group in the Chamber of Deputies, a position held until September 2015. In March 2009, in the extraordinary Congress of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban was elected first vice-chair of the PNL. Ludovic Orban was also a candidate for the PNL leadership in 2002, 2009 and December 2014, being defeated by Theodor Stolojan, Crin Antonescu and Alina Gorghiu, respectively. He was elected chairperson of the National Liberal Party, on June 17, 2017, in the party's Congress held in Bucharest, with 3,518 votes. AGERPRES/(author: Horia Plugaru, Marina Badulescu, editor: Doina Lecea; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)