Career
Due to allegations of corruption made against him by the Romanian PNA, Vanghelie was excluded from the Romanian Social Democratic Party before the Bucharest 2004 local elections. Following his electoral victory, he was re-accepted in Social Democratic Party, although his PNA files were not closed. Vanghelie"s return into the Social Democratic party brought up to two the number of district mayoral seats the Social Democratic Party held to in Bucharest.
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" General’ s Office organizes every year, very popular with the many of the residents of the sector, which has the lowest average income in Bucharest. The slogan used by Adriean Videanu against him in the Bucharest 2005 mayor elections was count on the one who counts ((Romanian) "contează pe cine contează," a catch-phrase meant to disparage Vanghelie"s lower-class background and lack of formal education.
He has a half-brother, Paul.
