BUCHAREST: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Friday named social-democrat Sorin Grindeanu as the nation’s new prime minister, bringing to a close weeks of uncertainty since the left won a parliamentary vote on December 11. The nomination sought to put an end to a political crisis in Romania sparked when after Iohannis rejected a previous candidate who would have been the country’s first female and first Muslim prime minister. Watch What Else Is Making News

The president offered no reasons for his rejection of Sevil Shhaideh, initially put forward by the Social Democrats (PSD), but there was speculation that it was due to her Syrian husband’s background. The PSD had proposed the previously little-known Shhaideh after its thumping poll victory on December 11 when it won 45 percent of the vote, enough to form a majority coalition with its partners the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis designates social-democrat Sorin Grindeanu as the country's new prime minister, after the victory of the centre-left PSD earlier this month.