Romania's main ruling party has new leadership

Romania's Social Democrat Party unanimously validated the elections of Liviu Dragnea as the main ruling party's chairman in an extraordinary congress on Sunday.

According to the resolution read out in the meeting, Dragnea obtained in the internal ballot, which took place a week ago, a number of 442,650 votes in favor out of the 457,764 votes cast by the party members.

For the first time, the party chairperson is not voted within a congress, but by all party members in a nationwide internal election. Dragnea was the only candidate for the position.

In Sunday's congress, Speaker of the Deputies Chamber Valeriu Zgonea was elected the executive chairman of the party, after getting absolute majority of the votes, while 14 candidates won from 21 who were racing for vice-chairman positions.

Dragnea reassured the Social Democrats attending the congress that the new leadership of the party will support "with the same force" staying at rule.

The change of the party's leadership is not routine, but mainly because of the resignation of incumbent Prime Minister Victor Ponta as chairman of the party three months ago, after anti-corruption prosecutor had launched a probe against him into allegations that include tax evasion and money laundering.

Dragnea, 53, is considered a powerful figure within the party. He has served as the secretary general, executive chairman and acting chairman. Dragnea had also held important posts in the government, such as interior minister and deputy prime minister.

The Social Democratic Party is the largest party in the current ruling coalition, which also includes the National Union for the Progress of Romania, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Reformist Party.