# Fourth Ponta Cabinet

The Fourth Ponta Cabinet was the government of Romania from 17 December 2014 to 17 November 2015. The Cabinet was supported by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), the alliance forged by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu's Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) and Daniel Constantin's Conservative Party (PC). Fourteen of the ministerial portfolios were held by PSD members, three by ALDE, two by UNPR and two by independent members (although Sorin Cîmpeanu was a member of PC).

## Overview and notable events

The Fourth Ponta Cabinet, unlike the previous cabinet, contained only politically appointed ministers. The post of deputy prime minister was abolished. In addition, eight ministerial portfolios were consolidated into four:
* the Ministry of Scientific Research was merged into the Ministry of Education;
* the Ministry of SMEs was merged into the Ministry of Economy;
* the Ministry of Water and Forests was merged into the Ministry of Environment; and
* the Ministry for the Budget was merged into the Ministry of Finance.
The reshuffling of the Third Ponta Cabinet came after ministers from the Hungarian-minority party, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), left the coalition and resigned from their respective ministries. Prime Minister Ponta decided to change the cabinet's image, which had been negatively affected by his loss in the November 2014 presidential elections and by a scandal involving voting procedures in the diaspora.
During the ceremony of taking the oath, outgoing president, Traian Băsescu, criticized two of the members of the new cabinet, Liviu Pop and Sorin Cîmpeanu, accusing them of contributing to the destruction of educational institutions, calling Ponta a liar and alluding to the plagiarism scandal that resulted in the prime minister surrendering his doctorate.
The Opposition, headed by the National Liberal Party (PNL), announced a possible motion of censure after 1 February 2015, with President Klaus Iohannis supporting the effort to bring down the Ponta government. Iohannis also expressed support for a PNL-led government. A no-confidence motion failed in September 2015, on a 207–276 vote.
On 4 November 2015, Victor Ponta and his Cabinet resigned amid mass protests against generalised corruption linked to the Colectiv nightclub fire, being succeeded by the Cioloș Cabinet, made up entirely by politically independent members.

## Structure

| Function | Incumbent | Party | In office since | Until |
| Prime Minister | Victor Ponta | PSD | 7 May 2012 | 5 November 2015 |
| Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs | Gabriel Oprea | UNPR | 17 December 2014 | 9 November 2015 |
| Minister of Regional Development | Liviu Dragnea | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 15 May 2015 |
| Minister of Regional Development | Sevil Shhaideh | PSD | 20 May 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Agriculture | Daniel Constantin | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Culture | Ioan Vulpescu | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Bogdan Aurescu | Ind. | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Defence | Mircea Dușa | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Finance | Darius Vâlcov | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 15 March 2015 |
| Minister of Finance | Eugen Teodorovici | PSD | 30 March 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of the Economy | Mihai Tudose | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Justice | Robert Cazanciuc | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Transport | Ioan Rus | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 11 June 2015 |
| Minister of Transport | Iulian Matache | PSD | 17 July 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Health | Nicolae Bănicioiu | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Communications | Sorin Grindeanu | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Labour | Rovana Plumb | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests | Grațiela Gavrilescu | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Education | Sorin Cîmpeanu | Ind. | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of European Funds | Eugen Teodorovici | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 30 March 2015 |
| Minister of European Funds | Marius Nica | PSD | 30 March 2015 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Youth and Sports | Gabriela Szabo | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister of Energy | Andrei Gerea | ALDE | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister for Relations with Parliament | Eugen Nicolicea | UNPR | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister for Social Dialogue | Liviu Pop | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |
| Minister for Romanians Abroad | Angel Tîlvăr | PSD | 17 December 2014 | 17 November 2015 |

### Facts and statistics

The numbers below refer to the composition of the cabinet as of 20 May 2015:
* Number of ministers: 21
* Number of women: 4
* Number of men: 17
* Average age: 46.2 years
* Youngest minister: Marius Nica (34 years)
* Oldest minister: Mircea Dușa (60 years)

### Party breakdown

Party breakdown of cabinet ministers:
* Social Democratic Party (PSD) 14 / 21
* Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) 3 / 21
* National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) 2 / 21
* Independent 2 / 21