Daniel Marian Vanghelie (born 1968) is a Romanian politician, the former mayor of the 5th Sector of Bucharest (2000–2016) and a former member of the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSD).
He ran for a fifth term in 2016 as an independent but was defeated by social-democratic candidate Daniel Florea. Vanghelie came in 3rd place, receiving fewer votes than both the social democratic candidate and the liberal candidate, Ovidiu Raețchi.
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Early life
Vanghelie was born in 1968 in Bucharest.
Career
Vanghelie entered the Romanian politics in the early 1990s, as a member of Miron Mitrea's Party of Social Solidarity and later as a member of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania. Best described as a populist, Vanghelie started his center-stage political career in the year 2000, when he was elected mayor in the same sector. Although he was not particularly well-known, Vanghelie made a name for himself through his populism. He promotes himself as a tell-it-like-it-is, if not particularly well-educated everyman, out to help the simple people. One of Vanghelie's most famous publicity stunts is the New Year's Celebrations the Fifth Sector Mayor's Office organizes every year, very popular with many of the residents of the sector, which has the lowest average income in Bucharest.