Romania’s anti-Semitism czar on Saturday was elected chairman of a local branch of the ruling Liberal Party.
Alexandru Muraru took 387 votes out of a total of 400 to win the election for the chairman of the Iasi branch of the National Liberal Party.
The elections were held after the former environment minister Costel Alexe stepped down at the end of April amid a corruption probe.
Mr Muraru, 39, a Liberal Party lawmaker, became acting chairman on May 23 after Mr Alexe quit following the fallout from the bribe allegations against him. He denies wrongdoing.
The regional offices of Romania’s political parties are able to influence administrative and political appointments. They are also considered springboards for ambitious politicians seeking positions in high office.
Romania’s Prime Minister Florin Citu was in Iasi for Saturday’s vote. He said he had confidence in his adviser and said there was “reciprocal support.
The prime minister will run for chairman of the Liberal Party which heads the ruling coalition in September. He will run against the current leader, Ludovic Orban, a former prime minister.
“Alexandru Muraru is the new Liberal Party chairman! I have total faith in him” the prime minister said on social media.
“Welcome to the winning team, Alex!”
Mr Muraru is one of the new generation of politicians who were children when communism ended, who’ve been appointed to senior positions in recent years.
A historian, he is seen as a member of the reformist, pro-European wing of the party, not the older, more conservative faction.
His twin brother Andrei Muraru is Romania’s ambassador to the United States.
Mr Alexe, the former environment minister is suspected of bribery in exchange for handing out carbon credits to a factory. He was minister from November 2019 to November 2020.
Romania’s anti-Semitism czar runs for regional post in ruling Liberal Party
