Crin Antonescu

Crin Antonescu
President of Romania Acting
In office 10 July 2012 – 27 August 2012
Prime Minister	Victor Ponta
Preceded by	Traian Băsescu
Succeeded by	Traian Băsescu
President of the Senate
In office 3 July 2012 – 4 March 2014
Preceded by	Vasile Blaga
Succeeded by	Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Leader of the National Liberal Party
In office 20 March 2009 – 31 May 2014
Preceded by	Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Succeeded by	Klaus Iohannis
Minister of Youth and Sport
In office 5 December 1997 – 28 December 2000
Prime Minister	Victor Ciorbea Gavril Dejeu (Acting) Radu Vasile Alexandru Athanasiu (Acting) Mugur Isărescu
Preceded by	Mihai-Sorin Stănescu
Succeeded by	Georgiu Gingăraş
Personal details
Born	21 September 1959 Tulcea, Romania
Political party	National Liberal Party
Other political affiliations	Social Liberal Union (2011–2014)
Spouse(s)	Adina-Ioana Vălean
Children	Irina
Alma mater	University of Bucharest
Religion	Romanian Orthodoxy

George Crin Laurențiu Antonescu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈd͡ʒe̯ord͡ʒe ˈkrin la.uˈrent͡sju antoˈnesku]; born September 21, 1959) is a Romanian politician, who was President of the National Liberal Party (PNL) from 2009 to 2014. He also served as the country Acting President after the suspension of Traian Basescu and as the President Of Senate . ^[1]

He is a member of the Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in the 2008 legislative election. From 1996 to 2008, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies, acting as leader of the party delegates between 2007 and 2008. On 3 July 2012 he was elected President of the Senate after the dismissal of the former leader, Vasile Blaga, from office. He became Acting President of Romania on 10 July 2012 after the Parliament suspended Traian Băsescu for the second time on 6 July 2012.

On March 4, 2014, during the debate in Parliament on the vote for a new government Crin Antonescu resigned as president of the Senate.^[2]

Early life and education

Antonescu was born in Tulcea, Tulcea County. After his parents' divorce he was raised by his father, who encouraged him to attend the Faculty of History and Philosophy at the National University of Bucharest, in order to become a History teacher.^[3]

Professional career

Upon graduating in 1985, Crin Antonescu worked as a History teacher in the village of Solești, Vaslui County.^[4] He later returned to Tulcea, continuing his teaching activity in Niculițel until 1989.^[5] Antonescu worked as a curator for the Tulcea Museum of History and Archaeology from 1989 to 1990, when he resumed his teaching activity at the “Spiru Haret” High School in Tulcea, prior to being elected to the Chamber of Deputies.

Political career

Antonescu and Victor Ponta in 2013

Upon joining the National Liberal Party, Antonescu helped organize the Tulcea branch of the party. In 1995, he was elected PNL Vice President and, subsequently, leader of the Liberal politicians active in the Chamber of Deputies, holding that position for two non-consecutive mandates. During his activity in the Chamber of Deputies, he was a member of the Committee for Education, Youth and Sports, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Committee of Culture, Arts and Media.

Crin Antonescu was the Romanian Minister of Youth and Sports from 1997 to 2000.^[6] He initiated a series of reforms, the most prominent being the legal perpetuity for Romanian athletes with significant Olympic results.^[7]

As of March 20, 2009, Crin Antonescu was the President of the National Liberal Party, in addition to being the party’s candidate for the 2009 Presidential Elections in Romania. In September 2009, Crin Antonescu was situated third in Romanians' voting preferences for the 2009 Presidential elections.^[8][9]

After President Traian Băsescu's suspension on July 3, 2012, he assumed acting Presidency of Romania.

Presidential styles of Crin Antonescu
Reference style	Președintele interimar (ad interim President)
Spoken style	Președintele interimar (ad interim President)
Alternative style	Domnia Sa/Excelența Sa (His Excellency)

Personal life

Antonescu's first wife Aurelia committed suicide^[10] in 2004 due to an incurable disease. The pair have a daughter, Irina, born in 2001. In June 2009, Antonescu announced^[11] he would get married again to party colleague Adina Vălean. The couple married on 25 September 2009.^[12]

References

1. Luminita Parvu (March 20, 2009). "Crin Antonescu is the new PNL President" (in Romanian). Hot News. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
2. "Romania Senate speaker Crin Antonescu resigns". Hot News. March 4, 2014. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
3. "Crin Antonescu, liberal din '90, parlamentar şi vicepreşedinte PNL timp de 9 ani" [Crin Antonescu, liberal since 1990 and Vice-president of PNL for nine years] (in Romanian). Mediafax. March 20, 2009. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
4. "Crin Antonescu a predat istoria la Soleşti" [Crin Antonescu, professor of history] (in Romanian). Evenimentul zilei. June 6, 2009. Archived from the original on December 26, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
5. "The world does not go forward with the rave" (in Romanian). rol.ro. June 29, 2008. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
6. "Guvernul Victor Ciorbea" [The Victor Ciorbea Government] (in Romanian). Agerpress. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
7. Cristian Predan (October 7, 2004). "350 de sportivi romani primesc renta viagera" [350 Romanian athletes receive perpetuity] (in Romanian). Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
8. "BCS Survey: Traian Basescu - 30.5%, Crin Antonescu - 20.1%, Mircea Geoana - 19.2%". Hot News. September 1, 2009. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
9. "Crin Antonescu may get in the second round, along with President Basescu" (in Romanian). Politico.ro. September 22, 2009. Archived from the original on September 25, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2009.
10. "Crin Antonescu, despre sinuciderea sotiei sale" [Crin Antonescu, regarding the suicide of his wife] (in Romanian). 2004. Archived from the original on April 14, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
11. "Crin Antonescu: Ma voi casatori cu Adina Valean" [Crin Antonescu: I will marry Adina Vǎlean] (in Romanian). Hot News. June 25, 2009. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
12. "Adina Vălean şi Crin Antonescu s-au căsătorit" [Adina Vălean and Crin Antonescu got married] (in Romanian). www.mediafax.ro. September 26, 2009. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.

External links

• (Romanian) CrinAntonescu.ro, official candidacy website