Victor Ponta

Victor Ponta was born in Bucharest in 1972. He is a lawyer and politician, and has served as Romania’s Prime Minister since May 2012. He is a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and was appointed as its President in 2010. In February 2011, together with Crin Antonescu, head of the National Liberal Party (PNL), he formed the Social Liberal Union (USL), which currently serves as Romania’s coalition government. Mr. Ponta has been the member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Gorj County since 2004.

Prior to entering politics, Mr. Ponta served as the Prosecutor and Coordinator, Romanian Unit for Combating Money Laundering (2000-2001); the Prosecutor, Anti-corruption and Criminal Prosecution Department specialized in the area of economic and financial fraud, the Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Justice (1998-2001); and the Prosecutor, Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Justice District 1, Bucharest (1995-1998).

Mr. Ponta was educated at the University of Bucharest where he received a diploma in Criminal Law. He went on to serve as PhD Associate Professor, Criminal Law Department, Romanian-American University of Bucharest.