On Wednesday, February 15, 2012, the Atlantic Council hosted a strategy session with Mr. Victor Ponta, Leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) of Romania.

Mr. Ponta came to Washington at a time of political turmoil in Romania, which resulted in a change of government following anti-austerity protests. As a member of the Committee on Foreign Policy and an opposition leader, Mr. Ponta provided a Social Democratic Party perspective on the recent developments in Romania and their international policy implications. In addition, he touched upon the key issues facing the Alliance in the run-up to the NATO Chicago Summit, including the Romanian-hosted element of the Alliance’s planned missile defense architecture.

Mr. Ponta was accompanied by his “shadow ministers,” Mr. Titus Corlatean, Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Corneliu Dobritoiu, Chairman of the Commitee for Defence of the National Liberal Party.

A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and its leader since 2010, Mr. Ponta has been a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Gorj County since 2004. In the Romanian parliament, he is a member of various committees, including Committee on Foreign Policy, Joint Commission on the revision of the Constitution of Romania, and Joint Special Committee on criminal and civil code matters. In the Emil Boc cabinet, he was Minister for Government Relations with the Romanian Parliament from 2008 to 2009.