CHISINAU, Moldova – Moldova's parliament has approved a pro-European candidate and former foreign minister as the country's new prime minister. He vowed to take the former Soviet republic closer to Europe and fight endemic corruption and poverty.
About 58 lawmakers out of 101 voted to appoint Iurie Leanca to the post late Thursday after pro-European lawmakers rallied around him.
The previous governing Alliance for European Integration collapsed in March over a battle within the alliance to control the justice system and Vlad Filat lost the premiership in a March 5 confidence motion. Leanca is a close ally.
"We will do everything we can ... for our European orientation to become irreversible," Leanca said.
The 49-year-old has been acting prime minister since April. He was foreign minister from 2009 until March.
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