Fourth Ponta Cabinet
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name = Ponta IV
| cabinet_number = 124th
| jurisdiction = Romania
| flag = Flag of Romania.svg
| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image =
| caption = Cabinet meeting, 20 May 2015
| date_formed = 17 December 2014
| date_dissolved = 17 November 2015
| government_head = Victor Ponta
| government_head_history =
| state_head = Traian Băsescu {{small|(17–21 December 2014)}}
Klaus Iohannis {{small|(from 21 December 2014)}}
| members_number = 22
| former_members_number =
| total_number =
| political_parties = PSD, UNPR, ALDE
| legislature_status = Coalition (Majority)
| opposition_cabinet =
| opposition_parties = PNL, UDMR, PMP, PNȚCD, PSRO, PRU
| opposition_leaders = Alina Gorghiu, Vasile Blaga, Hunor Kelemen, Eugen Tomac, Aurelian Pavelescu, Mircea Geoană, Bogdan Diaconu
| election =
| last_election = 2012
| legislature_term = 2012–2016
| budget =
| advice_and_consent1 =
| advice_and_consent2 =
| incoming_formation =
| outgoing_formation =
| previous = Ponta III
| successor = Cioloș
}}
The Fourth Ponta Cabinet was the government of Romania from 17 December 2014 to 17 November 2015.{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/politic/presedintele-basescu-a-semnat-decretul-prin-care-sunt-noii-ministri-sunt-numiti-in-functie.html |title=Guvernul Ponta IV a depus jurământul. Miniștrii cu care Traian Băsescu a refuzat să dea mâna și pe care i-a acuzat de fals |work=Știrile Pro TV |date=17 December 2014 |language=ro}} The Cabinet was supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), the alliance forged by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu's Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) and Daniel Constantin's Conservative Party (PC).{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/politica/lista-integrala-a-noilor-ministri-dragnea-nu-mai-e-vicepremier-modificari-de-ultima-ora-in-schema-guvernamentala-13719606 |title=LISTA INTEGRALĂ A NOILOR MINIȘTRI. Dragnea nu mai e vicepremier. Modificări de ultimă oră în schema guvernamentală |work=Gândul |author=Cristian Andrei |date=14 December 2014 |language=ro}}{{cite web |url=http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/politic/guvernul-ponta-4-incepe-sa-prinda-contur-surse-andrei-gerea-plr-la-economie-iar-robert-cazanciuc-psd-la-justitie.html |title=CExN al PSD a votat Guvernul Ponta 4. LISTA viitorului Cabinet în care Liviu Dragnea NU va mai fi vicepremier |work=Știrile Pro TV |date=14 December 2014 |language=ro}} Fourteen of the ministerial portfolios were held by PSD members, three by ALDE, two by UNPR and two by independent members (although Sorin Cîmpeanu was a member of PC).
Overview and notable events
The Fourth Ponta Cabinet, unlike the previous cabinet, contained only politically appointed ministers. The post of deputy prime minister was abolished.{{cite web |url=http://adevarul.ro/news/politica/surse-ionut-vulpescu-fostul-consilier-iliescu-putea-prelua-ministerul-culturii-1_548d4b72448e03c0fdbbfb01/index.html |title=Guvernul Ponta 4, în chinurile facerii: cine pleacă, cine vine. Miron Mitrea iese din politică: E o chestiune personală. Nu vreau spectacol |work=Adevărul |author1=Sebastian Zachmann |author2=Mădălina Mihalache |author3=Alina Boghiceanu |date=14 December 2014 |language=ro}} In addition, eight ministerial portfolios were consolidated into four:{{cite web |url=http://www.b1.ro/stiri/politica/guvernul-ponta-4-se-decide-duminica-pe-surse-8-ministere-vor-fi-comasate-in-4-portofolii-video-98238.html |title=Guvernul Ponta 4 se decide duminică: Pe surse, 8 ministere vor fi comasate în 4 portofolii |work=B1.ro |date=13 December 2014 |language=ro}}
- the Ministry of Scientific Research was merged into the Ministry of Education;
- the Ministry of SMEs was merged into the Ministry of Economy;
- the Ministry of Water and Forests was merged into the Ministry of Environment; and
- the Ministry for the Budget was merged into the Ministry of Finance.
The reshuffling of the Third Ponta Cabinet came after ministers from the Hungarian-minority party, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), left the coalition and resigned from their respective ministries. Prime Minister Ponta decided to change the cabinet's image, which had been negatively affected by his loss in the November 2014 presidential elections and by a scandal involving voting procedures in the diaspora.
During the ceremony of taking the oath, outgoing president, Traian Băsescu, criticized two of the members of the new cabinet, Liviu Pop and Sorin Cîmpeanu, accusing them of contributing to the destruction of educational institutions, calling Ponta a liar and alluding to the plagiarism scandal that resulted in the prime minister surrendering his doctorate.{{cite web |url=http://www.evz.ro/ceremonia-de-investitura-a-guvernului-ponta-iv-va-avea-loc-marti-la-ora-2030.html |title=Guvernul Ponta IV a depus jurământul. Traian Băsescu, atac la Liviu Pop și ministrul Educației, Sorin Cîmpeanu: "Au contribuit prin distrugerea de instituții ale educației la un fals în interes public" |work=Evenimentul Zilei |author1=Mircea Marian |author2=Andreea Udrea |author3=Ioana Tomescu |author4=Ana-Maria Adamoae |date=17 December 2014 |language=ro}}
The Opposition, headed by the National Liberal Party (PNL), announced a possible motion of censure after 1 February 2015,{{cite web |url=http://www.gandul.info/politica/sulfina-barbu-pnl-va-depune-o-motiune-de-cenzura-dupa-1-februarie-2015-13636227 |title=Sulfina Barbu: PNL va depune o moțiune de cenzură după 1 februarie 2015 |work=Gândul |date=25 November 2014 |language=ro}} with President Klaus Iohannis supporting the effort to bring down the Ponta government.{{Cite web|url = http://www.gandul.info/politica/iohannis-primul-atac-la-ponta-din-cauza-noului-cod-fiscal-exista-o-sansa-rezonabila-ca-printr-o-motiune-de-cenzura-sa-se-schimbe-guvernul-13857332|title = Iohannis, PRIMUL ATAC la Ponta din cauza noului Cod Fiscal. "Există o şansă rezonabilă ca printr-o moţiune de cenzură să se schimbe Guvernul"|date = 19 February 2015|website = Gândul|last = Simina|first = Anca|language = ro}} Iohannis also expressed support for a PNL-led government.{{Cite web|url = http://www.ziare.com/victor-ponta/klaus-iohannis/iohannis-vrea-un-guvern-pnl-ponta-executivul-pe-care-il-conduc-e-cea-mai-buna-varianta-pentru-romania-1344496|title = Iohannis vrea un Guvern PNL. Ponta: Executivul pe care il conduc e cea mai buna varianta pentru Romania|date = 23 January 2015|website = Ziare.com|language = ro}} A no-confidence motion failed in September 2015, on a 207–276 vote.{{cite web |url=http://www.evz.ro/a-patra-motiune-esuata-a-pnl-sub-semnul-unui-miting-in-ploaie.html |title=Un nou EŞEC pentru PNL. MOŢIUNEA de cenzură a fost RESPINSĂ. Liberalii mai aveau nevoie de 70 de voturi |work=Evenimentul Zilei |date=29 September 2015 |last1=Udrea |first1=Andreea |last2=Bernaschi |first2=Larisa |language=ro}}
On 4 November 2015, Victor Ponta and his Cabinet resigned amid mass protests against generalised corruption linked to the Colectiv nightclub fire,{{cite web |title=VICTOR PONTA A DEMISIONAT: "Eu niciodată nu mă bat cu oamenii". SURSE: Opțiunile lui Iohannis pentru un nou premier: Cioloș sau Maior. PNL cere anticipate, PSD refuză |trans-title=VICTOR PONTA HAS RESIGNED: "I'm never fighting with the people". SOURCES: Iohannis' options for a new prime-minister: Cioloș or Maior. PNL requests early elections, PSD rejects |url=http://evz.ro/victor-ponta-demisioneaza-liviu-dragnea-premierul-si-a-depus-mandatul.html |publisher=EVZ.ro |access-date=12 August 2018 |language=ro |date=4 November 2015}} being succeeded by the Cioloș Cabinet, made up entirely by politically independent members.{{cite web |url=http://www.stiripesurse.ro/klaus-iohannis-mesaj-de-ultima-ora-pentru-noii-mini-tri_973626.html |title=Klaus Iohannis, mesaj de ULTIMĂ ORĂ pentru noii miniștri |work=stiripesurse.ro |author=Cristi Șelaru |date=17 November 2015}}
Structure
| class="wikitable"
! Image ! Function ! Incumbent ! colspan="2" | Party ! In office since ! Until |
| 100px
| Prime Minister ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 7 May 2012 | 5 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs ! style="background-color: #DB0000" | | UNPR | 17 December 2014 |
| 100px
| rowspan="2" | Minister of Regional Development ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 15 May 2015 |
| 100px
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 20 May 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Agriculture ! style="background-color: #0087BD" | | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Culture
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Foreign Affairs
! style="background-color: gray" | | Ind. | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Defence ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | rowspan="2" | Minister of Finance
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 |
| | Eugen Teodorovici
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 30 March 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of the Economy
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Justice
| Robert Cazanciuc ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| rowspan="2" | Minister of Transport | Ioan Rus ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 |
| | Iulian Matache
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD |17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Health | Nicolae Bănicioiu ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Communications
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Labour ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests
| Grațiela Gavrilescu ! style="background-color: #0087BD" | | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Education ! style="background-color: grey" | | Ind. | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | rowspan="2" | Minister of European Funds
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 30 March 2015 |
| | Marius Nica
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 30 March 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| 100px
| Minister of Youth and Sports ! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister of Energy
| Andrei Gerea ! style="background-color: #0087BD" | | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister for Relations with Parliament
| Eugen Nicolicea ! style="background-color: #DB0000" | | UNPR | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister for Social Dialogue
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| | Minister for Romanians Abroad
! style="background-color: #BA0000" | | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
= Facts and statistics =
The numbers below refer to the composition of the cabinet as of 20 May 2015:
- Number of ministers: 21
- Number of women: 4
- Number of men: 17
- Average age: 46.2 years
- Youngest minister: Marius Nica (34 years){{cite web |url=http://www.mediafax.ro/politic/biografie-marius-nica-de-la-ofiter-mapn-si-consilier-la-pe-ministru-al-fondurilor-europene-la-35-de-ani-14069154 |title=BIOGRAFIE: Marius Nica, de la ofiţer MApN şi consilier la PE, ministru al Fondurilor Europene la 35 de ani |work=Mediafax |last=Mihai |first=Cătălina |date=27 March 2015 |language=ro}}
- Oldest minister: Mircea Dușa (60 years)
= Party breakdown =
Party breakdown of cabinet ministers:
- Social Democratic Party (PSD) {{Composition bar|14|21|#DC2C22}}
- Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) {{Composition bar|3|21|#0087BD}}
- National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) {{Composition bar|2|21|#FF0000}}
- Independent {{Composition bar|2|21|#E9E9E9}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Romanian Governments |state=collapsed}}
Category:2014 establishments in Romania