View source for Alexandru Athanasiu

{{short description|Romanian politician and jurist}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name        = Alexandru Athanasiu
|image       =
|office      = [[Prime Minister of Romania]]<br />(acting)
|president   = [[Emil Constantinescu]]
|term_start  = 13 December 1999
|term_end    = 22 December 1999
|predecessor = [[Radu Vasile]]
|successor   = [[Mugur Isărescu]]
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1955|1|1|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Bucharest]], [[Socialist Republic of Romania|Romania]]
|death_date  = 
|death_place = 
|party       = [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]] (2001–present)
|otherparty  = [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001)|Romanian Social Democratic Party]] (1996–2001)<br />{{ill|Civic Alliance Party|ro|Partidul Alianța Civică|vertical-align=sup}} (1991–1996)
|profession  = [[Jurist]]
|alma_mater  = [[University of Bucharest]]
}}

'''Alexandru Athanasiu''' ({{IPA|ro|alekˈsandru atanaˈsi.u}}; born 1 January 1955) is a Romanian politician and jurist. A former leader of the [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990-2001)|Romanian Social Democratic Party]] (PSDR), he has been a member of the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]] (PSD) since 2001. 

Athanasiu previously served as [[List of Prime Ministers of Romania|Prime Minister]] on an [[ad interim]] basis for 9 days between 13 December and 22 December 1999, heading the [[Romanian Democratic Convention]] (CDR) cabinet after the resignation of [[Radu Vasile]] ([[Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party|PNȚCD]]. On 1 January 2007, with the [[accession of Romania to the European Union]], Athanasiu became a [[Member of the European Parliament]] for the PSD (inside the [[Party of European Socialists]]).

An author of several scientific works, he is the recipient of a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] in Law, as well as a professor at the [[University of Bucharest]] (since 1999). In 1995, his volume ''Legea Asigurărilor Sociale'' ("The Law on [[Social security|Social Security]]") received the [[Romanian Academy]]'s ''[[Simion Bărnuțiu]] Award''.

==Biography==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=January 2022}}

Born in [[Bucharest]], Athanasiu studied at the [[Gheorghe Lazăr National College (Bucharest)|Gheorghe Lazăr High School]] in Bucharest, and later graduated from the law school at the Bucharest University. Between 1978 and 1982, he was employed by the [[Bucharest Court of Appeal]].

Having joined the newly created PSDR after the [[Romanian Revolution of 1989]], Athanasiu was first elected to [[Parliament of Romania|Parliament]] as a [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|deputy]] in 1992, being nominated to the Committee for Labor and Social Protection.

A [[Ministry of Labor, Social Solidarity and Family (Romania)|Minister of Labor]] in the [[Victor Ciorbea]] CDR cabinet, he retained the office under Radu Vasile and his own premiership, being replaced by [[Smaranda Dobrescu]] during the leadership of [[Mugur Isărescu]]. In 1999, he replaced [[Sergiu Cunescu]] at the head of the PSDR, leading it into fusion with [[Adrian Năstase]]'s Party of Social Democracy, PDSR (the fusion led to the creation of the PSD).

In 2000, he was elected to the [[Senate of Romania|Romanian Senate]] on PSDR lists, representing [[Bihor County]] (re-elected in 2004 on PSD lists); he stood on the Committee for Foreign Policies. In 2003–2004, Athanasiu also served as [[Ministry of Education, Research and Youth (Romania)|Minister of Education]] in the Adrian Năstase executive (replacing [[Ecaterina Andronescu]]).

Athanasiu is married with two children.

==References==
*{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.senat.ro/FisaSenator.aspx?ID=5 Biography at the Romanian Senate]
*{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.cdep.ro/pls/parlam/structura.mp?idm=6&cam=1&leg=2004&pag=1&idl=1 Biography at the Romanian Chamber of Deputies]

==External links==
*[https://archive.today/20070626025500/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/yourMep/view.do;?id=33994 European Parliament profile]
*[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/mepphoto/33994.jpg European Parliament official photo]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Radu Vasile]]}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|[[List of Prime Ministers of Romania|Prime Minister of Romania]]}}<br /><small>Acting</small>|years=1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mugur Isărescu]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{RomanianPrimeMinisters}}
{{Ciorbea Cabinet}}
{{Vasile Cabinet}}
{{Năstase Cabinet}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Athanasiu, Alexandru}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001) politicians]]
[[Category:Social Democratic Party (Romania) politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bucharest]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Romania]]
[[Category:Ministers of education of Romania]]
[[Category:Romanian jurists]]
[[Category:Members of the Senate of Romania]]
[[Category:University of Bucharest alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Bucharest]]
[[Category:Gheorghe Lazăr National College (Bucharest) alumni]]
[[Category:Social Democratic Party (Romania) MEPs]]
[[Category:MEPs for Romania 2007]]