Muslim woman nominated as Romanian prime minister
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 21 December 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Muslim woman nominated as Romanian prime minister, 21 December 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a38b1d.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 21, 2016
Sevil Shhaideh
Romania's Social Democrats have nominated a Muslim woman to be the country's next prime minister.
Liviu Dragnea, leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), said on December 21 that Sevil Shhaideh would be his party's candidate to head Romania's government.
Shhaideh, who served briefly as Romania's regional development minister in 2015, must be approved by President Klaus Iohanis and parliament, where the PSD has a majority after decisively winning the December 11 parliamentary elections.
Shhaideh, 52, would be the first woman as well as the first Muslim prime minister in predominantly Christian Romania, where less than 1 percent of the population is Muslim.
Dragnea said after announcing Shhaideh's nomination that he could not "for the time being" serve as prime minister due to an "unjust conviction and deeply unconstitutional law."
Dragnea is currently serving a two-year suspended sentence jail sentence for electoral fraud.
Based on reporting by dpa and Agerpres
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
