The new French President Francois Hollande chose Pierre Moscovici (in picture), of Romanian origins, to lead France's Finance Ministry. Moscovici's father Serge was born in Romania, at Braila, from a Jewish family, and left Romania in 1948, for France. His son Pierre was born in Paris in 1957.

Pierre Moscovici was a 'rapporteur' ( an EU liaison officer )   at the European Parliament for Romania's accession to the EU until 2007, when the country joined the European block. He previously said in the European Parliament that he felt 'half Romanian'.

Moscovici was previously Minister of European Affairs between 1997 and 2002 in France. He is a member of the  French Socialist Party (PS).  After taking the new office, he has already said that France would not ratify a European pact on budget discipline if it does not include measures to boost growth.

France's new Government has 34 ministers, half women, half men, making it one Europe's most gender-balanced Cabinets.

editor@romania-insider.com