Mihai Ghimpu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mihai Ghimpu
OR
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Ghimpu in 2009
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| Acting President of Moldova | |
| In office 11 September 2009 – 28 December 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Zinaida Greceanîi Vitalie Pîrlog (acting) Vlad Filat |
| Preceded by | Vladimir Voronin |
| Succeeded by | Vlad Filat (acting) |
| President of the Moldovan Parliament | |
| In office 28 August 2009 – 28 December 2010 |
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| President | Vladimir Voronin Himself (acting) |
| Prime Minister | Zinaida Greceanîi Vitalie Pîrlog (acting) Vlad Filat |
| Deputy |
See list
Serafim Urechean
Iurie Țap Marcel Răducan Alexandr Stoianoglo |
| Preceded by | Vladimir Voronin |
| Succeeded by | Marian Lupu |
| Member of the Moldovan Parliament | |
| In office 22 April 2009 – 9 March 2019 |
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| Parliamentary group | Liberal Party |
| In office 3 September 1990 – 9 April 1998 |
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| Parliamentary group | Popular Front |
| Constituency | Chișinău |
| President of the Liberal Party | |
| In office 5 January 1998 – 1 December 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Anatol Șalaru (as Leader of the Reform Party) |
| Succeeded by | Dorin Chirtoacă |
| Member of the Chișinău Municipal Council | |
| In office 22 June 2007 – 5 April 2009 |
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| President of the Chișinău Municipal Council | |
| In office 11 November 2007 – 6 June 2008 |
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| Succeeded by | Eduard Mușuc |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 November 1951 Colonița, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Citizenship |  Moldova Romania |
| Political party | Popular Front (1990–1993) Liberal Party (1993–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Bloc of the Intellectuals (1994) Alliance for European Integration (2009–present) |
| Spouse | Dina Ghimpu |
| Relatives | Gheorghe Ghimpu (brother) Dorin Chirtoacă (nephew) |
| Alma mater | Moldova State University |
| Awards | Order of the Star of Romania, 1st Class |
Mihai Ghimpu (born 19 November 1951) is a politician from Moldova. He was the Speaker of Parliament and also served as the temporary (acting) President of Moldova from 2009 to 2010. He was a member of the Moldovan Parliament for many years, from 1990 to 1998 and again from 2009 to 2019. Ghimpu led the Liberal Party (PL) from 1998 to 2018.
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Family and Early Life
Mihai Ghimpu was born on 19 November 1951 in a village called Colonița, near Chișinău, which was then part of the Moldavian SSR (a region in the Soviet Union). His mother, Irina Ursu, worked on a local farm. His father, Toader Ghimpu, was an elementary school teacher for a few years before also working on a farm.
Mihai Ghimpu is the youngest of his siblings. His brothers were Gheorghe Ghimpu and Simion Ghimpu. He also has a sister named Valentina, who is the mother of Dorin Chirtoacă, another well-known Moldovan politician. Mihai Ghimpu has been married to Dina Ghimpu for over 30 years. She works at Moldova's Culture Ministry. They do not have children.
Education and Political Beginnings
After finishing elementary school in his hometown, Mihai Ghimpu went to high school in Chișinău. He then served in the Soviet army until 1972. After his military service, Ghimpu studied law at Moldova State University from 1974 to 1978.
He worked as a legal advisor for state companies. From 1978 to 1990, he was a lawyer and led legal departments in various companies. He also served as a judge in a part of Chișinău.
In the late 1980s, Ghimpu became involved in the democratic movement. He helped start the Popular Front of Moldova, which was a very important political group in Moldova. In 1990, Mihai Ghimpu was elected to the Moldovan Parliament as a representative of the Popular Front. In 1991, he voted for the Declaration of Independence of Moldova, which declared Moldova's independence.
In 1997, Mihai Ghimpu became the chairman of the Party of Reform. This party later changed its name in April 2005 to the Liberal Party of Moldova (PL). In 2007, Ghimpu was elected as a council member in the Chișinău Municipal Council. Soon after, his nephew, Dorin Chirtoacă, who was the vice-president of the Liberal Party, became the mayor of Chișinău.
The Liberal Party gained a good number of seats in the Moldovan Parliament in the April 2009 elections. Mihai Ghimpu was re-elected as a Member of Parliament in July 2009.
Key Moments in Mihai Ghimpu's Career
Here are some important dates and roles in Mihai Ghimpu's career:
- 1988–1993: He was a founder of the democratic movement, the Popular Front of Moldova.
- 1990–1998: He served as a member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
- 1998–2018: He was the Chairman of the Liberal Party (PL).
- 2007–2009: He was a council member in the Chișinău Municipal Council.
- 2007–2008: He served as the Chairman of the Chișinău Municipal Council.
- 28 August 2009: He was elected as the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament.
- 11 September 2009 – 28 December 2010: He served as the temporary (interim) President of the Republic of Moldova.
Forming a Government Alliance
In July 2009, new parliamentary elections were held in Moldova. No single party won enough votes to form a government on its own. The Moldovan Communist Party won the most votes, but not enough seats to govern alone.
Four other parties entered Parliament: the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, the Liberal Party, the Democratic Party of Moldova, and the Party Alliance Our Moldova.
Mihai Ghimpu, as the leader of the Liberal Party, worked with the leaders of these other parties. They held talks for over a week to form a group. In August 2009, these parties created a governing coalition called the "Alliance For European Integration". This alliance aimed to bring Moldova closer to Europe.
Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament
On 28 August 2009, Mihai Ghimpu was chosen as the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament. He was elected through a secret vote, receiving all 53 votes from the parties in the Alliance For European Integration.
When he was elected, Mihai Ghimpu said: "I thank my colleagues for their trust. I hope that while in this post I will work for a free press, an independent legal system, and a state of law that all Moldovan citizens will be proud of."
He also spoke at a big meeting of Parliament Speakers in Geneva in July 2010. He talked about Moldova's challenges and its path forward.
Acting President of Moldova
On 11 September 2009, Mihai Ghimpu became the temporary (acting) President of Moldova. This happened because the previous president, Vladimir Voronin, resigned.
According to Moldova's Constitution, if the president resigns, the Speaker of Parliament takes over as acting president. So, Mihai Ghimpu stepped into this important role until a new president could be elected by the Parliament.
During his time as acting president, Ghimpu worked on several important things. He set up a group to help fix the country's constitution. He also created a commission to study the time when Moldova was part of the Soviet Union.
Mihai Ghimpu was given the Order of the Star of Romania, which is a very high award.
Views on Identity
Mihai Ghimpu is known for strongly believing that Moldovans and Romanians share the same ethnic identity and language. He has often said that the language spoken in Moldova is Romanian.
He believes it is important to tell people the truth about their history and identity.
See also
- Liberal Party (Moldova)
- Liberalism
- Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
- President of Moldova
- Acting President of Moldova
