Lia Olguţa Vasilescu (born 18 November 1974) is a Romanian politician, member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). She served as mayor of Craiova from 2012 to 2017, when she resigned to become Minister of Labor. She was reelected as Mayor of Craiova in 2020 and since then she has been serving as the mayor of Craiova.

Lia Olguța Vasilescu
Minister of Labour
In office
4 January 2017 – 20 November 2018
Prime MinisterSorin Grindeanu
Mihai Tudose
Viorica Dăncilă
Preceded byDragoș Pîslaru
Succeeded byMarius Budăi
Mayor of Craiova
In office
22 June 2012 – 5 January 2017
Preceded byAntonie Solomon
Succeeded byMihail Genoiu
Personal details
Born (1974-11-18) 18 November 1974 (age 50)
Craiova, Romania
Political partyGreater Romania Party (1991–2007)
Social Democratic Party (2007–present)
Alma materUniversity of Craiova
WebsiteOfficial website

Personal life

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Her ancestors left Cadrilater in 1940, after the Treaty of Craiova which transferred the region from Romania to Bulgaria.[1] She is a graduate of the Elena Cuza National College in her native city.[2] In 1997 she graduated the Faculty of Philology and History of the University of Craiova (Romanian-Italian language specialization).[3]

Between 1997 and 2000, Vasilescu worked for the local newspaper Cuvântul Libertăţii from Craiova. She was an editor in the first year and became the Head of the Investigations Department in 1998. In 1999 she was promoted as Deputy Editor.[4]

She wrote the books Cultura:factor de securitate nationala (English: The Culture: factor of the national security) and Vilfredo Pareto si contributia lui la dezvoltarea sociologiei moderne (English: Vilfredo Pareto and his contribution to the development of modern sociology).[5]

Her former husband is the former PRO TV reporter Ovidiu Wlassopol[6] and they have a child together.[7]

Vasilescu has the black belt (2nd dan) in Karate. She is the president of the Romanian subsidiary of WAKO PRO.[8]

Political activity

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In 1991 she became a founding member of the Greater Romania Party.[9] Vasilescu states that she became a nationalist after her scholarship in Italy.[10] Three years later, Vasilescu was appointed as the Youth Organization of Greater Romania Party.[11] She was the spokesperson of the same party between 2000 and 2004.[12]

As a result of the Romanian general election from 26 November 2000 she became a member of the Chamber of Deputies, being at 26 years old the youngest elected person to hold this position until that time.[13] She was re-elected as a member of the Chamber of Deputies at the 2004 Romanian general election,[14] when she was the top candidate on the party-list of the Greater Romania Party for Dolj County.[15]

In 2006 Vasilescu was invited by George Becali to become the national vice-president of New Generation Party, but she declined the offer.[16]

In December 2007, while being the president of the Education Commission from the Chamber of Deputies, Vasilescu left the Greater Romania Party after being defamed in the newspaper Tricolorul, owned by Corneliu Vadim Tudor.[17] She joined PSD, being convinced to make this move by its leader Mircea Geoană.[18][19]

Between 2008 and 2012 she was a member of the Senate,[20] being elected at the 2008 Romanian legislative election with 62.9% of the votes in the CetateFiliași single-member district (the highest score for a female MP[21]), surpassing Eugen Georgescu (PDL) – 22.5% and Viorel Călin (PNL) - 9.4%.[22]

In June 2012 she was elected the mayor of Craiova, becoming the first female acting as the mayor of a county capital in Romanian history.[23] She gained 45.6% of the votes, surpassing Antonie Solomon who gained 40.1%.[24][25]

In March 2013 she was elected as the President of the Craiova Organization of PSD.[26] On 20 April 2013 she was elected one of the co-presidents of the Women's Organization of PSD (together with Ecaterina Andronescu, Corina Crețu, Gabriela Firea and Rovana Plumb).[27] In January 2017, she resigned as mayor of Craiova in order to take office as Minister of Labor in the cabinet of Sorin Grindeanu.[28]

References

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  1. ^ "In pat cu dusmanul". Adevărul (in Romanian). 29 April 2002. Retrieved 4 October 2014. Familia Olgutei Vasilescu vine din Cadrilater, a fost expulzata de acolo in 1940.
  2. ^ "Colegiul Naţional "Elena Cuza" a împlinit 181 ani". Editie Speciala (in Romanian). 22 May 2014. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2014. În calitate de fost absolvent al liceului, Olguţa a transmis felicitările sale pentru meritele şcolii obţinute de-a lungul anilor
  3. ^ "Primarul Municipiului Craiova – Lia Olguța Vasilescu". Primaria Craiova. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  4. ^ "STRUCTURA PARLAMENTULUI ROMÂNIEI 2004-2008". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  5. ^ "La multi ani Lia Olguta Vasilescu!". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  6. ^ "In pat cu dusmanul". adevarul.ro. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  7. ^ "Primarul Municipiului Craiova – Lia Olguța Vasilescu". Primaria Craiova. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Olguţa Vasilescu va deveni preşedintele unei organizaţii de kick-box, în prezenţa lui Remy Bonjaski". Mediafax (in Romanian). 23 May 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2014. Lia Olguţa Vasilescu a fost aleasă pentru funcţia de preşedinte al filialei române a WAKO Pro întrucât a practicat karate şi are centura neagră, cu doi dani, încă din anul 2001.
  9. ^ "STRUCTURA PARLAMENTULUI ROMÂNIEI 2004-2008". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Astăzi e ziua ta, Lia Olguţa-Vasilescu". Jurnalul Naţional (in Romanian). 12 November 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014. Despre începuturile mele în politică pot să spun că plecarea mea în Italia a trezit în mine naţionalismul
  11. ^ "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu: de la deputat la 25 de ani, la prima femeie primar în Craiova". TVR. 11 June 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014. Înainte de a împlini vârsta majoratului, mai exact în 1991, Lia Olguţa Vasilescu a intrat în politică, în Partidul România Mare. Trei ani mai târziu, Vasilescu, ajunsă deja la 19 ani, devenea preşedintele Organizaţiei de Tineret România Mare Dolj.
  12. ^ "Olguţa Vasilescu, din braţele lui C.V.Tudor, direct la pieptul lui Geoană". Gandul.info. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  13. ^ "La multi ani, Lia Olguta Vasilescu!". Revista VIP (in Romanian). 16 November 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014. În calitate de fost absolvent al liceului, Olguţa a transmis felicitările sale pentru meritele şcolii obţinute de-a lungul anilor
  14. ^ Papuc Manuel Carlo. "Senatul României - Fișă senator". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  15. ^ Fundatia Alegro. "Fundatia Alegro :: Civilizati optiunii". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  16. ^ "C.V. Tudor ramane fara parlamentaril". 9am News (in Romanian). 6 January 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2014. "Este adevarat ca negociez cu Olguta Vasilescu. Ii ofer postul de vicepresedinte national al PNG. Este o fata de mare valoare care stie ce face", a marturisit Gigi Becali.
  17. ^ "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu: de la deputat la 25 de ani, la prima femeie primar în Craiova". Stiriletvr.ro. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Olguţa Vasilescu, din braţele lui C.V.Tudor, direct la pieptul lui Geoană". Gandul.info. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  19. ^ "POLITICA: Deputatul Olguta Vasilescu a parasit PRM pentru PSD (Realitatea romaneasca)". Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  20. ^ Papuc Manuel Carlo. "Senatul României - Fișă senator". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  21. ^ "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu: de la deputat la 25 de ani, la prima femeie primar în Craiova". Stiriletvr.ro. 20 October 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Colegii Dolj: Rezultate Finale Alegeri 2008". 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  23. ^ "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu, prima femeie primar de reşedinţă de judeţ". politicaromaneasca.ro (site owned by Radio România Actualităţi). 11 June 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2014. La Primăria Craiova, rezultatele alegerilor (Lia Olguţa Vasilescu - USL 45,5%, Antonie Solomon - UNPR 40,9%) au ajutat-o pe candidata USL să devină prima femeie primar de reşedinţă de judeţ din România.
  24. ^ "REZULTATE FINALE ALEGERI CRAIOVA: Olguţa Vasilescu câştigă Primăria Craiova cu 45,6 %, Solomon are 40,09 % - Romania Libera". RomaniaLibera.ro. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  25. ^ (in Romanian) "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu, susţinută de organizaţia de femei a PSD pentru a candida la Primăria Craiova", Mediafax, 12 March 2011
  26. ^ "Lia Olguţa Vasilescu, aleasă preşedinte al PSD Craiova". Mediafax.ro. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  27. ^ "Vicepreședinții PSD, aleși de Congresul PSD". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  28. ^ "Prima zi de muncă a noilor miniştri. Olguţa a primit flori de la fostul ministru al Muncii". Adevărul. Retrieved 13 February 2017.

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