Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's main ruling party has proposed a regional politician as the next prime minister after the president turned down the party's first choice, an economist who could have become the country's first female Muslim premier.
Liviu Dragnea, chairman of the Social Democratic Party that won Dec. 11 elections, on Wednesday named Sorin Grindeanu, 43, to become premier. Grindeanu is chairman of the Timis county council, and has been deputy mayor of the city of Timisoara and a lawmaker.
Dragnea said he wants to pursue goals including "more money in Romanians' pockets, the freedom to think, to hope, to have a good health system."
President Klaus Iohannis rejected Tuesday the nomination of Sevil Shhaideh, a relative political novice, without saying why.
Iohannis must formally endorse a nominee before Parliament's final approval.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.