Viorica Dancila. AFP / George Calin
Bucharest: Romania's president named on Wednesday European Parliament lawmaker Viorica Dancila as the EU country's third prime minister in seven months, and also its first female premier.
Late Monday her predecessor Mihai Tudose resigned after a power struggle with the head of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD), Liviu Dragnea.
Dancila, 54, who is seen as close to Dragnea, still has to be approved by parliament but this is seen as a formality with the PSD-led government enjoying a majority of seats.
Tudose was the second PSD-appointed premier to go after his predecessor Sorin Grindeanu's government was torpedoed by the party filing a no-confidence motion last June.
Both appeared to have fallen out with Dragnea, 55, who is himself barred from public office because of an electoral fraud conviction, but who still calls the shots as party head.
Dragnea said Monday he had "made two bad choices" for prime minister, adding that he would not make the same "mistake" this time.
The PSD returned to power in December 2016 after a thumping election victory on promises of boosting wages and pensions, but it almost immediately hit problems.
In February 2017, the government proposed changes to anti-corruption laws that critics said would have let politicians off the hook.
This prompted the biggest protests since the ouster of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, forcing the government to backtrack.
Dancila, the new prime minister designate, had staunchly defended the legislation.
Fresh demonstrations have also greeted other changes that critics -- including Brussels and Washington -- worry will weaken the battle against rampant graft.
