Victor Ponta

Victor-Viorel Ponta (Victor Ponta) is a Romanian lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Romania from 7 May 2012 to 4 November 2015. President of the Social Democratic Party from 21 February 2010 to 12 July 2015. Ponta studied and graduated in law at the University of Bucharest (1991-1995). He obtained a Master's degree in International Criminal Law from the University of Catania, Italy (2000), a Master's degree from the National Security University of Bucharest "Karol I" (2002), and a Doctorate in Criminal Law from the University of Bucharest (2003). He was a prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office of the District Court of Sector 1 (Bucharest) (1995-1998) and a prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Romania (1998-2001). There he was in charge of corruption and money laundering cases. Associate Professor of Criminal Law at the Romanian-American University (1996-1998). With the rank of Secretary of State, he was Head of the Control Directorate in the Government of Prime Minister Adrian Năstase (2001-2004). He became Minister Delegate for International Financing and the Acquis Communautaire, 11 March - 28 December 2004. He was elected to Parliament in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. He was Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament in the Government of Emil Boc, 22 December 2008 - 1 October 2009.