Romania’s Social Democrat party (PSD), which earlier this month won the country’s general election, has proposed former telecommunications minister Sorin Grindeanu for Prime Minister, after their first nomination, a Muslim woman, was rejected.<br /><br /> The 43-year-old former mathematician is a veteran of the left-wing and his nomination is expected to be given the go ahead by the President of the Republic, Klaus Iohannis, who has the final say on the matter.<br /><br /> The leftist former deputy mayor of Timisoara is currently head of the Timis county governing council.<br /><br /> Iohannis rejected the party’s first pick, Sevil Shaiddeh, who would have become Romania’s first female and Muslim Prime Minister had her nomination been accepted.<br /><br /> No reasons were given for the decision,although her lack of political experience and her husband’s outspoken support for Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria have been cited as possible motives.<br /><br /> She is a close associate of PSD leader Liviu Dragnea, who would have been the party’s first choice for prime minister but was ruled out of the job due to a criminal conviction in a 2012 referendum rigging case.<br />
