Mircea Geoană
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.
History
From December 28 2000 to December 28 2004, Geoană was the foreign minister of Romania, as part of the PSD Năstase government. He was replaced in December 28, 2004, by Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu from the Truth and Justice Alliance in 28 December 2004 after the Romanian legislative elections.
Geoană was also the chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe during 2001. In 2004, during the local government elections in Romania, he ran for Mayor of Bucharest, but lost to Traian Băsescu of Democratic Party.
A career diplomat, from 1996 to 2000 Geoană served as Romania's ambassador to the United States. He was the youngest ambassador in Romania's diplomatic corps.
Considered a young reformer, Geoana was elected president of the party on 25 April 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 Geoana handily. Geoana'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 Geoana was reelected as party President, with his platform, "Social Romania", defeating Sorin Oprescu.