Basescu, Traian

Romanian centre-right politician, president from 2004. A former merchant navy officer, he replaced Petre Roman as leader of the Democratic Party (PD) in 2001 and was mayor of Bucharest 2000–04. He narrowly defeated president Adrian Nastase in the 2004 presidential election, after replacing Theodor Stolojan as candidate for the Justice and Truth Alliance, of the PD and National Liberal Party (PNL). He stood on a reformist and anti-corruption platform. The PNL leader, Popescu-Tariceanu, became prime minister, but came into conflict with the pro-US Basescu in 2007 over the government's plans to withdraw Romanian troops from Iraq. In January 2007, Basescu led Romania through its entry into the European Union (EU). Opposition deputies secured his suspension as president by the parliament in April 2007 for alleged unconstitutional conduct in his anti-corruption drive, but he was restored to office the following month after a national referendum on his impeachment.

Born near the Black Sea port of Constanta, the son of an army officer, he studied at the Constanta Naval Institute and worked in the merchant navy in the 1980s, at which time, to assist his career, he was also a member of Romania's communist party. He joined the National Salvation Front – a political party formed after Romania's 1989 anti-communist revolution – and was transport minister 1991–92 and 1996–2000, and represented the PD in the lower house of Romania's parliament 1992–2000.