# Maria Grapini

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Romanian politician (born 1954)

Maria Grapini MEP Official portrait, 2024 Member of the European Parliament for Romania Incumbent Assumed office 1 July 2014 Romanian Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Business Environment In office 21 December 2012 – 5 March 2014 President Traian Băsescu Prime Minister Victor Ponta Member of the Chamber of Deputies In office December 2012 – 25 March 2014 Succeeded by Florică Bîrsășteanu [ro] Personal details Born (1954-11-07) 7 November 1954 (age 71)[1] Berești, Romania[1] Party PPU (2020–present) Other political affiliations PC (2006–2015) PPU (2015–2019) PSD (2019–2020) Alma mater Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași Occupation Politician Profession Businesswoman, textile engineer

**Maria Grapini** (born 7 November 1954) is a [Romanian](/source/Romanians) businesswoman and politician. She served as the Deputy Minister in the [Second Ponta cabinet](/source/Second_Ponta_cabinet). Since 2014, Grapini has been a [Member of the European Parliament](/source/Member_of_the_European_Parliament) for the [Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats](/source/Progressive_Alliance_of_Socialists_and_Democrats).[2]

## Early life and education

Grapini was born on 7 November 1954 in [Berești](/source/Bere%C8%99ti), [Galați County](/source/Gala%C8%9Bi_County).[3] She graduated from the Berești Theoretical High School in 1973 and the [Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași](/source/Gheorghe_Asachi_Technical_University_of_Ia%C8%99i) in 1978.[1]

## Career

Grapini held various positions at the Garofița Textile Enterprise in [Timișoara](/source/Timi%C8%99oara) until 1989.[4] Between 1995 and 2012, she was the president of the Council of Administration and general manager of [Pasmatex](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pasmatex&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ro](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasmatex)].[5] She also served as the president of the Council of Administration of SC Pasmatex Conf International SA from 1998 to 2012.[4]

Grapini was the president of both the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Romania and the Light Industry Employers Federation. She was a member of the National Council of Exporters and Honorary [Consul](/source/Consul_(representative)) of [India](/source/India) in Romania.[6]

## Political activity

Between 2006 and 2015, Grapini was the vice president of the [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(Romania)) (PC).[1] In June 2015, Grapini announced her resignation from the party. She accused PC President [Daniel Constantin](/source/Daniel_Constantin_(politician)) of seizing the party and being responsible for its disappearance following the decision of unifying it with the [Liberal Reformist Party](/source/Liberal_Reformist_Party_(Romania)).[7] A month later, Grapini joined the Humanist Power Party.[8]

In 2012, Grapini was elected as the deputy of the 37th constituency at [Timiș County](/source/Timi%C8%99_County).[9] On 19 December 2012, she was appointed as the Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Business and Tourism Environment in the [Second Ponta cabinet](/source/Second_Ponta_cabinet).

### Member of the European Parliament, 2014–present

In January 2014, the PC announced Grapini's resignation from the position due to her candidacy in the [2014 European Parliament election](/source/2014_European_Parliament_election).[10] She later resigned from Parliament for the same reason.[11]

In the election, the PC ran candidates on common lists with the [PSD](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_(Romania)) and [UNPR](/source/National_Union_for_the_Progress_of_Romania); Grapini was the fifth candidate.[12] The alliance won with 37.6% of the votes, and Grapini was elected.[13]

Grapini was re-elected at the [2019 European Parliament election in Romania](/source/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_Romania).[14] Although not officially registered with the party, Grapini was the sixth candidate on the PSD list.[15]

In addition to her committee assignments, Grapini is part of the European Parliament Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).[16]

## Published works

Grapini has published four books.[17] The first was published in 2011 and contains interviews that Grapini had over time at Radio Timișoara.[18] In 2012, she published a novel, *Viața, între scrieri și trans-scrieri*, which contained a critical presentation signed by [Cornel Ungureanu](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cornel_Ungureanu&action=edit&redlink=1) [[ro](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornel_Ungureanu)].[19] In an investigation published by *Recorder*, journalist Mihai Voinea showed that the novel contained several fragments copied from Wikipedia.[18]

## Criticism

Grapini has attracted media criticism due to her frequent spelling and punctuation mistakes in her Facebook account.[20] In July 2015, a website named Grapinizer was launched, allowing users to convert grammatically correct [Romanian language](/source/Romanian_language) text into her writing style: "[it] adds redundant commas, changes the order of letters within words, and removes blanks spaces after punctuation marks."[20]

In August 2018, Grapini appealed to the [National Council for Combating Discrimination](/source/National_Council_for_Combating_Discrimination) due to a Facebook message. In the message, she offended the [Romanian diaspora](/source/Romanian_diaspora) at an anti-government rally in the [Victory Square](/source/Victory_Square%2C_Bucharest), saying they had to "pay dumb taxes for the [USR](/source/Save_Romania_Union)".[21] Later, Grapini said she disagreed with the statement and explained why she distributed the message:

I distributed to see that not all of the diaspora has the same point of view. A diaspora lady posted this. I posted one single time, without making any comments. My message is that no one can pretend to represent the entire diaspora.[22]

## Recognition

In 2019, Grapini was the recipient of the Internal Market & Consumer Protection Award at the annual [MEP Awards](/source/The_Parliament_Magazine#The_MEP_Awards) of *The Parliament Magazine*.[23]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cv_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cv_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-cv_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-cv_1-3) ["Curriculum vitae"](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/ro/124785/MARIA_GRAPINI/cv). *European Parliament*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190601225921/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/ro/124785/MARIA_GRAPINI/cv) from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Istoricul legislaturilor"](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/ro/124785/MARIA_GRAPINI/history/8). *European Parliament*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190630170904/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/ro/124785/MARIA_GRAPINI/history/8) from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Curriculum vitae | Maria Grapini | Deputați europeni | Parlamentul European"](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/ro/124785/MARIA_GRAPINI/cv). *www.europarl.europa.eu* (in Romanian). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-agerpres_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-agerpres_4-1) Marina Bădulescu, ed. (29 May 2014). ["Europarlamentar ales Maria Grapini (PC) – biografie"](https://www.agerpres.ro/flux-documentare/2014/05/29/europarlamentar-ales-maria-grapini-pc-biografie-12-50-17). *[Agerpres](/source/Agerpres)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401142926/https://www.agerpres.ro/flux-documentare/2014/05/29/europarlamentar-ales-maria-grapini-pc-biografie-12-50-17) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Guvernul Ponta2: Cine este Maria Grapini, ministrul pentru IMM"](http://www.ziare.com/maria-grapini/stiri-maria-grapini/guvernul-ponta2-cine-este-maria-grapini-ministrul-pentru-imm-1208113). *Ziare.com*. 19 December 2012. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401142212/http://www.ziare.com/maria-grapini/stiri-maria-grapini/guvernul-ponta2-cine-este-maria-grapini-ministrul-pentru-imm-1208113) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Ioana Câmpean (19 December 2012). ["BIOGRAFIE: Cine este Maria Grapini, nominalizată ministru pentru IMM-uri, Turism și Mediul de Afaceri în Cabinetul Ponta II"](https://www.mediafax.ro/politic/biografie-cine-este-maria-grapini-nominalizata-ministru-pentru-imm-uri-turism-si-mediul-de-afaceri-in-cabinetul-ponta-ii-10401722). *[Mediafax](/source/Mediafax)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401140120/https://www.mediafax.ro/politic/biografie-cine-este-maria-grapini-nominalizata-ministru-pentru-imm-uri-turism-si-mediul-de-afaceri-in-cabinetul-ponta-ii-10401722) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** I. Roșca (3 April 2017). ["Partidul Mariei Grapini, rupt din fostul PC al lui Dan Voiculescu, s-ar putea reactiva; este posibilă o fuziune cu ALDE condus de Tăriceanu, fără Daniel Constantin – surse"](https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-21697007-partidul-mariei-grapini-rupt-din-fostul-lui-dan-voiculescu-putea-reactiva-fuziona-alde-condus-tariceanu-surse.htm). *[HotNews](/source/HotNews)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401151205/https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-21697007-partidul-mariei-grapini-rupt-din-fostul-lui-dan-voiculescu-putea-reactiva-fuziona-alde-condus-tariceanu-surse.htm) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Rareș Constantinescu (2 July 2015). ["Grapini s-a înscris în alt partid"](https://www.cotidianul.ro/grapini-s-a-inscris-in-alt-partid/). *Cotidianul*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401140155/https://www.cotidianul.ro/grapini-s-a-inscris-in-alt-partid/) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Sinteza activității parlamentare în legislatura 2012–2016"](http://www.cdep.ro/pls/parlam/structura2015.mp?idm=153&leg=2012&cam=2&pag=1). *Camera Deputaților*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190720123946/http://www.cdep.ro/pls/parlam/structura2015.mp?idm=153&leg=2012&cam=2&pag=1) from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Mădălina Mihalache (29 January 2014). ["Maria Grapini va renunța la funcția de ministru pentru a candida la europarlamentare. Ultimul scandal în care a fost implicată aceasta"](https://adevarul.ro/news/politica/ministru-europarlamentare-1_52e8e679c7b855ff56e5edf2/index.html). *[Adevărul](/source/Adev%C4%83rul)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401151529/https://adevarul.ro/news/politica/ministru-europarlamentare-1_52e8e679c7b855ff56e5edf2/index.html) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Maria Grapini a demisionat din Parlament"](http://www.ziare.com/maria-grapini/stiri-maria-grapini/maria-grapini-a-demisionat-din-parlament-1289649). *Ziare.com*. 24 March 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401151324/http://www.ziare.com/maria-grapini/stiri-maria-grapini/maria-grapini-a-demisionat-din-parlament-1289649) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** I. R. (22 March 2014). ["Alianța electorală PSD-UNPR-PC a depus la BEC listele candidaților pentru europarlamentare/ Victor Ponta: Scorul pe care noi ni l-am propus este de 35%"](https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-16877515-alianta-electorala-psd-unpr-depus-bec-listele-candidatilor-pentru-europarlamentare.htm). *[HotNews](/source/HotNews)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401151235/https://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-politic-16877515-alianta-electorala-psd-unpr-depus-bec-listele-candidatilor-pentru-europarlamentare.htm) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Results of the 2014 European elections"](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2014-results/en/country-results-ro-2014.html). *European Parliament*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190603013455/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2014-results/en/country-results-ro-2014.html) from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Ioan Bucuraș (4 June 2019). ["Catching the wave: Romania's parliamentary opportunity"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190607090006/https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/catching-the-wave-romania-s-parliamentary-opportunity). *Le Taurillon*. Archived from [the original](https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/catching-the-wave-romania-s-parliamentary) on 7 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Maria Tufan (27 March 2019). ["Misterul transferului Mariei Grapini la PSD: "E pe lista noastră − și, cu asta, gata!""](https://pressone.ro/misterul-transferului-mariei-grapini-la-psd-e-pe-lista-noastra-%E2%88%92-si-cu-asta-gata/). *PressOne*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190720123946/https://pressone.ro/misterul-transferului-mariei-grapini-la-psd-e-pe-lista-noastra-%E2%88%92-si-cu-asta-gata/) from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Intergroup on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/files/organisation-and-rules/organisation/intergroups/list-of-members-sme.pdf) [European Parliament](/source/European_Parliament).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Gheorghe Miron (14 October 2017). ["Mărturisiri – a patra carte lansată de europarlamentarul Maria Grapini"](https://www.ziuadevest.ro/marturisiri-patra-carte-lansata-de-europarlamentarul-maria-grapini/). *Ziua de Vest*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401143136/https://www.ziuadevest.ro/marturisiri-patra-carte-lansata-de-europarlamentarul-maria-grapini/) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-recorder_18-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-recorder_18-1) Mihai Voinea (19 July 2017). ["Maria Grapini a scris un roman de dragoste cu pasaje copiate de pe Wikipedia"](https://recorder.ro/maria-grapini-a-scris-un-roman-de-dragoste-cu-pasaje-copiate-de-pe-wikipedia/). *Recorder*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190611235409/https://recorder.ro/maria-grapini-a-scris-un-roman-de-dragoste-cu-pasaje-copiate-de-pe-wikipedia/) from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Ion Spânu (24 July 2017). ["O nouă impostoare în literatură: Maria Grapini, cea care plagiază de pe Wikipedia"](https://www.cotidianul.ro/o-noua-impostoare-in-literatura-maria-grapini-cea-care-plagiaza-de-pe-wikipedia/). *Cotidianul*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190401131316/https://www.cotidianul.ro/o-noua-impostoare-in-literatura-maria-grapini-cea-care-plagiaza-de-pe-wikipedia/) from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-site_20-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-site_20-1) Liliana Micu (23 July 2015). ["Grapinizer, aplicația online care vă "corectează" textele după modelul Maria Grapini"](http://www.mediafax.ro/life-inedit/grapinizer-aplicatia-online-care-va-corecteaza-textele-dupa-modelul-maria-grapini-14632223). *[Mediafax](/source/Mediafax)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190720123357/https://www.mediafax.ro/life-inedit/grapinizer-aplicatia-online-care-va-corecteaza-textele-dupa-modelul-maria-grapini-14632223) from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Maria Grapini, reclamată la CNCD pentru mesajul anti-diaspora"](https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/politica/maria-grapini-reclamata-la-cncd-pentru-mesajul-anti-diaspora-977739). *[Digi24](/source/Digi24)*. 9 August 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190327092203/https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/politica/maria-grapini-reclamata-la-cncd-pentru-mesajul-anti-diaspora-977739) from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Grapini explică distribuirea mesajului injurios pe Facebook"](https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/politic/grapini-explica-distribuirea-mesajului-injurios-pe-facebook.html). *Știrile Pro TV*. 9 August 2018. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190720123346/https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/politic/grapini-explica-distribuirea-mesajului-injurios-pe-facebook.html) from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Hutchinson, Lorna (21 March 2019). ["MEP Awards 2019: Heartfelt reactions from our winners"](https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/event-coverage/mep-awards-2019-heartfelt-reactions-our-winners). *[The Parliament Magazine](/source/The_Parliament_Magazine)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190406180043/https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/event-coverage/mep-awards-2019-heartfelt-reactions-our-winners) from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Maria Grapini](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Maria_Grapini).

- [Official site](http://www.mariagrapini.ro/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maria Grapini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Grapini) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Grapini?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.