Romania president finally reappoints rival Ponta as PM

Romania’s president Traian Basescu has appointed as prime minister the man who tried to have him impeached in July – Victor Ponta. Leader of the left-wing Social Liberal Union and already prime minister since April, Ponta has been locked in a bitter dispute with Basescu. The prime minister accused Basescu of blocking his policies and acting against the government and parliament. Impeachment of Bascescu failed when not enough people turned out to vote. The two rivals have to work together for at least another year, which might be a harder task after Bascescu called Ponta “a pig” and “a compulsive liar” before elections earlier this month. The slurs did not stop Ponta winning a two-thirds majority in the election, making it almost impossible for Basescu not to reappoint him. Many are hoping the two men can put aside their bickering and work on improving the economic situation in the EU’s second poorest member state. The new government will try to strike a fresh deal with the International Monetary Fund to replace a five billion euro agreement due to expire in early 2013.