Vasile Blaga

Vasile Blaga (; born 26 July 1956) is a Romanian centre-right politician who is currently serving as a Senator of Romania since 2024, representing Timiș County. He previously held the same position from 1996 to 2000 (representing Bihor County) and again from 2004 to 2016 (representing Bucharest). Between 2011 and 2012, he also briefly served as President of the Senate of Romania.

Between 2019 and 2024, he took a five-year break from national politics, during which he served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

His ministerial career includes two terms as Minister of Internal Affairs (2004–2007, 2009–2010) under Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu and Emil Boc, as well as serving as Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration (2008–2009).

In addition to his government roles, Blaga was President of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) from 2012 to 2014 and later served as Co-President of the National Liberal Party (PNL) alongside Alina Gorghiu (2014–2016) following the merger of the two parties.

Earlier in his career, he was Prefect of Bihor County (1991–1993) and a Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1990–1992).

Political career

Born in Petrileni, Bihor County, Blaga started his political career after the fall of Communism in Romania in 1989. He was a Member of Parliament in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, representing Bihor County, between 1990 and 1991, after which he became the Prefect of Bihor, serving until 1993.

Following the legislative election of 1996, he became a member of the Romanian Senate from the Democratic Party, representing Bihor County. He was reelected at the 2004 election for the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA), of which the Democratic Party (PD) was a member, representing Bucharest (where he presently resides). Blaga was appointed the Minister of Administration and Interior Affairs later in the same year.

In 2008, he was a candidate for the position of mayor of Bucharest from the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), seeking to replace incumbent mayor Adriean Videanu, who did not want to compete for a second term.

He came second in the first round of the elections, trailing independent Sorin Oprescu. For the second round, he gained the support of Gigi Becali's New Generation Party (PNG) and of the Social Democrat mayor Bucharest's Sector 2, Neculai Onțanu, as well as the opposition of National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Oprescu won the race on a 56-44 margin. He was the president of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) until its dissolution in the summer of 2014, when it merged with the National Liberal Party (PNL), of which he served as co-president, along with Alina Gorghiu, until 28 September 2016. On that date, Blaga was charged with influence peddling by the National Anticorruption Directorate and announced his resignation as party co-leader, though he maintained he is innocent.

Electoral history Mayor of Bucharest ElectionAffiliationVotesPercentagePosition 2008 242,700