Victor Ponta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Victor Ponta
Ponta in 2014
Prime Minister of Romania
In office 10 August 2015 – 5 November 2015
President	Klaus Iohannis
Deputy	Gabriel Oprea
Preceded by	Gabriel Oprea (Acting)
Succeeded by	Sorin Cîmpeanu (Acting)
In office 9 July 2015 – 29 July 2015
President	Klaus Iohannis
Deputy	Gabriel Oprea
Preceded by	Gabriel Oprea (Acting)
Succeeded by	Gabriel Oprea (Acting)
In office 7 May 2012 – 22 June 2015
President	Traian Băsescu Crin Antonescu (Acting) Traian Băsescu Klaus Iohannis
Deputy	Gabriel Oprea
Preceded by	Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu
Succeeded by	Gabriel Oprea (Acting)
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 December 2024
Constituency	Dâmbovița County
In office 17 December 2004 – 20 December 2020
Constituency	Gorj County
Minister of Parliamentary Relations
In office 22 December 2008 – 1 October 2009
Prime Minister	Emil Boc
Preceded by	Mihai Voicu
Succeeded by	Sorina-Luminița Plăcintă (Acting)
President of PRO Romania
In office 3 September 2017 – 2024
President of the Social Democratic Party
In office 21 February 2010 – 12 July 2015
Preceded by	Mircea Geoană
Succeeded by	Rovana Plumb (Acting)
President of the Social Democratic Youth
In office November 2002 – November 2006
Personal details
Born	Victor-Viorel Ponta (1972-09-20) 20 September 1972 (age 52) Bucharest, Romania
Citizenship	Romania Serbia
Political party	Social Democratic Party (until 2017, 2024-present)
Other political affiliations	Social Liberal Union (2011–2014) PRO Romania (2017–2024)
Spouses	Roxana ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2006)​ Daciana Sârbu ​ (m. 2006)​
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Bucharest Carol I National Defence University
Signature

Victor Viorel Ponta (born 20 September 1972) is a Romanian politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Romania from 2012 to 2015.

He was the leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) from 2010 to 2015. He also co-led the Social Liberal Union (USL) from 2012 to 2014. This was an alliance with the National Liberal Party (PNL).

Ponta was a member of the Romanian Parliament for Gorj County from 2004 to 2020. In 2024, he was elected again for a seat in Dâmbovița County.

From 2008 to 2009, Ponta was the Minister for Relations with Parliament in the Emil Boc government. As Prime Minister, his alliance won the local elections. This was a big success for his party.

During his time as Prime Minister, there was a political disagreement with the President. This led to an attempt to remove the President, but it did not succeed. Seven months after becoming Prime Minister, Ponta led his alliance to a big win in the parliamentary elections. This allowed him to serve a full four-year term.

Later, his alliance broke apart. Ponta then formed a new government with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR). In 2014, Ponta ran for President but lost to Klaus Iohannis. After this, the UDMR left the government. Ponta then formed his fourth government with other parties. This government lasted less than a year. He resigned after a tragic nightclub fire led to public protests.

Victor Ponta's Early Life and Career

Beginnings and Education

Victor Ponta was born in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. He finished high school in 1991. In 1995, he graduated from the University of Bucharest with a law degree.

He also studied at the Carol I National Defence University and received a doctorate in Criminal Law. Ponta has written several books about law, including one on the International Criminal Court. Since 2002, he has taught Criminal Law at the Romanian-American University.

Work as a Prosecutor

From 1995 to 1998, Ponta worked as a prosecutor in Bucharest. He handled cases at the Sector 1 courthouse. From 1998 to 2001, he was a prosecutor at the Supreme Court of Justice. He worked in the anti-corruption division, focusing on financial crimes. He also helped lead the Bureau for Combating Money Laundering.

Government Roles and Parliament

From 2001 to 2004, Ponta was a Secretary of State. He led the government's Control Department. In this role, he helped find cases where international funds were used improperly.

In 2002, he joined the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He became the president of the Social Democratic Youth for four years. In 2004, Ponta was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. He was re-elected in 2008. In December 2008, he became a minister in the government led by Emil Boc.

As a minister, Ponta promised to help Parliament oversee the government better. He also worked on new civil and criminal laws. He resigned from the government in October 2009. This was in protest of another minister's dismissal.

Leading the Social Democratic Party

Ponta at an annual meeting of the PSD, which he led from 2010 to 2015

In February 2010, Victor Ponta was elected president of the PSD. He won against the previous leader, Mircea Geoană. In 2011, Ponta and Crin Antonescu, the leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), formed a political alliance. This alliance was called the Social Liberal Union (USL). It was formed to oppose the ruling party at the time.

In August 2012, Ponta was also elected as a vice president of the Socialist International. He resigned from leading the PSD in July 2015.

Victor Ponta as Prime Minister

Becoming Prime Minister and First Steps

Ponta with PNL chief Crin Antonescu while the duo headed the Social Liberal Union (USL)

In April 2012, the government led by Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu lost a vote of no confidence. This meant the government had to step down. After this, President Traian Băsescu chose Victor Ponta to be the new Prime Minister.

Ponta's government included ministers from the PSD, PNL, and other parties. Parliament approved his government in May, and he officially became Prime Minister. When he took office, Europe was facing an economic slowdown. Ponta promised to help the economy grow and create jobs. He also aimed to increase salaries for people working in the public sector.

In June 2012, the USL alliance won the local elections. Ponta called their victory in Bucharest a "historic moment."

Ponta meeting with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso

Ponta (fifth from left) in Bucharest in November 2013, meeting heads of government from Central and Eastern Europe, and China

Early in his term, Ponta's government made some changes. They moved control of the Romanian Cultural Institute from the President's office to Parliament. This was done to make things more open. However, some artists and cultural figures worried that the institute might become too political.

Political Challenges and Elections

Starting in July 2012, Ponta was at the center of a political situation. This led to the Parliament temporarily removing President Băsescu from office. Ponta strongly supported this action. An attempt to permanently remove the President through a public vote did not succeed.

After the USL won the parliamentary elections in December 2012, President Băsescu appointed Ponta for another term as Prime Minister. The two leaders then signed an agreement to work together.

In February 2014, the PNL party left the government. This ended the USL alliance. Ponta then formed a new government with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) and other parties. During his first two years, Ponta's governments increased public sector salaries. They also introduced some new taxes.

Presidential Race and Resignation

Ponta with his rival, Klaus Iohannis, in a debate hosted by Realitatea TV on 11 November 2014

In July 2014, Ponta announced he would run for President in the upcoming election. He was the main rival to Klaus Iohannis. Ponta came in first in the first round of voting. However, he lost to Iohannis in the second round. Many people believe that problems with voting for Romanians living abroad played a role in his defeat.

The next month, the UDMR party left the government. Ponta then formed his fourth government. This government included ministers from the Conservative Party (PC) and the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR).

In June 2015, Ponta faced some legal questions related to his past work as a lawyer. President Iohannis asked him to resign, but Ponta refused. He later took a leave of absence for knee surgery, and Gabriel Oprea served as interim Prime Minister. Ponta resigned as PSD president, saying he wanted to protect the party's image.

In October 2015, a tragic nightclub fire led to large public protests. Many people demanded Ponta's resignation, linking the government to corruption and indifference. Ponta resigned, saying he understood the public's "legitimate anger." He hoped his resignation would help meet the protesters' demands. A new government, led by Dacian Cioloș, took office two weeks later.

In the 2016 parliamentary election, Ponta kept his seat in Parliament. In June 2017, he was named secretary general in the government of Sorin Grindeanu. This meant he was automatically removed from the PSD party. The government was soon removed in a no-confidence vote.

Return to Politics

In May 2018, a court cleared Ponta of some legal accusations. Later that month, he announced a new political party called PRO Romania. He described it as a center-left party. He wanted it to bring skilled professionals into leadership roles.

In the May 2019 European Parliament election, PRO Romania won two seats. The party grew in the Romanian Parliament, with many members joining from the PSD. Ponta used this to influence political decisions. He eventually helped to bring down the government in October.

In the 2020 parliamentary election, PRO Romania did not win any seats. Ponta then announced he would step back from politics for a while. However, in 2024, Ponta rejoined the PSD. He won a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for Dâmbovița County in the parliamentary election.

Personal Life

Ponta with his mother, Cornelia Naum (right) and wife, Daciana Sârbu (left) in November 2014

Victor Ponta has three children. He was first married to Roxana in 1998, and they had one son. They divorced in 2006. In October 2006, he married Daciana Sârbu in China. Daciana Sârbu is a former Member of the European Parliament. They had a daughter in March 2008 and later adopted another daughter in 2020.

Ponta was a national youth basketball champion in 1989. He played for CSA Steaua București. He is also a big fan of the FC Steaua București football club. In 2002, he received the National Order for Faithful Service. In 2004, he received the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.

Electoral History

Presidential Elections

See also

In Spanish: Victor Ponta para niños

• First Ponta cabinet
• Second Ponta cabinet
• Third Ponta Cabinet
• Fourth Ponta Cabinet