Constantin P. Olănescu (Romanian pronunciation:[konstanˈtinoləˈnesku]; 1845–May 14, 1928) was aWallachian, laterRomanian politician.
Descended from an oldOltenianboyar family,[1] his father Pană was also in politics.[2] He was born inBucharest and studied at theÉcole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris. Upon his return home, Olănescu was successively named head of public works forCraiova (1869), department head at theAgriculture, Commerce and Public Works Ministry (1875),prefect ofBrăila County (1876), professor of elementary and applied mechanics at theSchool of Bridges, Roads and Mines (1878–1880), teacher at the silviculture school outside Bucharest (1884–1885) and deputy general director ofCăile Ferate Române railway (1883).[1]
A member of theConservative Party (PC), he was first elected to theAssembly of Deputiesin October 1888, and won a term in theSenatein 1905. From early 1891 to late 1895, he served asPublic Works Minister in the two successive PC cabinets ofIoan Emanoil Florescu andLascăr Catargiu.[1] From July 1900 to February 1901, he served asInterior Minister under the Conservatives'Petre P. Carp. This government proposed a series of measures to solve an ongoing financial crisis; its unpopular decisions provoked social tensions. A law ondistilled spirits provoked outright revolt in eight counties, mainly in northern Oltenia andMuntenia. As minister, Olănescu was responsible for maintaining public order.[3]
Olănescu served two terms asPresident of the Assembly: from June 1899 to September 1900, and from March 1911 to October 1912.[2] During his time at the helm, important national-security and economic legislation was adopted. In the first period, these dealt with theGendarmerie and theArmy. Among those approved in his second term were laws on reducing the cost of living, antitrust, tax relief for the urban poor, industry promotion,mortmain and higher education.[4]
In the autumn of 1915, Olănescu belonged to the leadership of the Unionist Federation, an organization that advocated the entry of neutral Romania into World War I, in order to unite all ethnic Romanians into a single state. In August 1916, as a former Assembly president, he took part in aCrown Council meeting where he voted in favor of joining the war on theAllies' side.[4] In May 1918, he was among the Romanians living in Paris who signed a document denouncing theTreaty of Bucharest, through which Germany imposed a harsh peace on Romania.[5] He died in Bucharest ten years later.[6]
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