Former Romanian gymnast Corina Ungureanu will run for a seat in the European Parliament. Ungureanu, 34, a two – times world champion and a former European champion in gymnastics, will run in the elections as an independent candidate.

She recently submitted her candidacy to the Central Electoral Office, after raising the needed 100,000 signatures from people who support her.

Previously a party member, first with the National Union for Romania's Progress UNPR, then with the Social Democratic Party PSD, she quit both parties and now she wants to represent Romania in the European Parliament, to 'promote the country and bring it among the first countries, because we need to make ourselves seen and heard,” she said, quoted by Mediafax newswire.

Ungureanu, who competed internationally between 1993 and 1999, sparked controversy in 2000 when she posed naked for the Romanian edition of Playboy magazine. The photos were re-printed by Playboy Japan.

Ungureanu and two former team mates also appeared in two Japanese DVDs, where they performed gymnastic routines topless. The three were banned from coaching and competing in Romania between 2002 and 2007. Ungureanu again posed for Playboy in 2008. She has been coaching in Italy and UK in recent years.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo: Corina Ungureanu on Facebook)