As minister, Andrei Marga promotededucational systemreform, stressing that the communist legacy had contributed to a rise inpolitical corruption, and indicating that Romanian education lacked staples ofprofessionalism such as underlined purposes, standards incertification, andevaluation criteria.[5] Marga also criticized the system for relying on "original features" and "Romanian traditions", which had been explained as a means to promote national development, but, in effect, had contributed to the gap between Romania and the Western world.[5] He called formodernization, and defined his goals as "increasing the links between education and the economic, administrative and cultural environment, improving the educational infrastructure, eliminatingpaternalism andpopulism from educationalmanagement, and enhancing international cooperation in education".[5]
The program was criticized by the political opposition, who argued that the system in place was satisfactory, and blamed the existing problems on the post-1989 political and social climate.[6] In parallel, supporters of reform were dissatisfied with its slow pace and inadequate financing.[7]
In early 1998, a controversy erupted in Romanian politics, after the CDR announced that it was planning to stand by the plan to set up separate universities for theHungarian minority.[8] The decision was in turn based on a promise made to their coalition partner, theDemocratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR).[8] In this context, Marga took the middle ground, saying that he supported separateHungarian-language sections but not separate institutions (a similar view was expressed by the CDR's other coalition partner, theDemocratic Party).[8]
Marga joined the PNŢCD in 1999, and became its leader two years later. Party rules prohibited members with less than five years in the party from running for party president. During the party's congress, a few candidates resigned in support of Marga and the party's constitution was amended to allow Marga to run. Marga defeated hisconservative opponents with the support of the congress in spite of opposition from the party hierarchy. He was brought in to reform the party and position it to recover from the losses of theDecember 2000 election. Histenure failed to bring in the rapid changes desired and opposition from prominent conservative elements in his party stifled his ideas. He resigned in July 2001.[9]
In 2002, Marga joined the PNŢCD's former coalition partner, theNational Liberal Party (PNL). From May to August 2012, Marga served as Foreign Minister in the government ofVictor Ponta.
In September 2022, Marga claimed thatUkraine's borders are "unnatural" and that Ukraine should cede its territories to its neighbors,Romania,Russia,Poland andHungary.[11][13]
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