Mircea Geoană

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Mircea Dan Geoană (born July 14, 1958 in Bucharest) is a Romanian politician, and a current member of the upper chamber of the Romanian Parliament, the Senate. Since 21 April 2005 he has been the head of the Partidul Social Democrat (PSD, Social Democratic Party), the main opposition party.

[edit] History

From December 28, 2000 to December 28, 2004, Geoană was the Foreign Minister of Romania, as part of the PSD government of Adrian Năstase. After the Romanian legislative elections of 2004, he was replaced by Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu from the Justice and Truth Alliance.

In 2001, Geoană was the chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In 2004, during the local government elections in Romania, he ran for Mayor of Bucharest, but lost to Traian Băsescu of the Democratic Party.

A career diplomat, from 1996 to 2000 Geoană served as Romania's ambassador to the United States. At the time, he was the youngest ambassador in Romania's diplomatic corps.

Considered a young reformer, Geoană was elected president of the party on April 25, 2005 by delegates at a PSD Party Congress held in Bucharest. His victory represented a surprise defeat for the former President and founder of the PSD Ion Iliescu, who was expected to defeat Geoană handily. Geoană's win was attributed by the media to last minute backroom dealing by party leaders opposed to Iliescu as well as to public gaffes made by Iliescu at the Party Congress, including using old communist terms when referring to his party colleagues.

At the PSD Congress on December 10, 2006, Geoană was re-elected as party President, with his platform, "Social Romania", defeating Sorin Oprescu's.