PSD MP, author of the controversial GEO 13, voted as Head of the Legislative Council, a lifetime term of office

Social Democrat deputy Florin Iordache, the former Justice minister who masterminded and authored the controversial emergency ordinance GEO 13, which meant to introduce amnesty and pardon for the corruption crimes and which prompted wide mass protests in Romania in 2017, has submitted his bid for the position of Legislative Council Head, a lifetime term of office. Once voted and appointed, the Head of the Legislative Council cannot be dismissed or replaced.

The Parliament’s joint plenary session has convened today at 4 p.m. to vote a new president of the Legislative Council after the former president, Dragos Iliescu, aged 77, had retired two weeks ago and elected Florin Iordache by 185 votes, while his contender Augustin Zegrean obtained only 41 votes.

The joint standing bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate had extended twice so far the deadline for submitting bids for the position of Legislative Council Head as nobody had filed any candidature.

Sources within PSD told Hotnews.ro that the party would have offered Florin Iordache this position as a consolation prize for not putting him on the list of Social Democrats running for another MP seat at the Chamber of Deputies in the upcoming general election.

Apparently, Iordache’s candidature for a new MP term was blocked by the PSD Olt organization.

Florin Iordache’s bid was challenged by the former president of the Constitutional Court, Augustin Zegrean.

According to the wealth statement of the former legislative council president, Dragos Iliescu, this position is very well paid, as the monthly wage mounts to RON 12,000.