biography
pronunciation:
[chowsheskoo]
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1918–89)
|
| biography:
| Romanian statesman and president (1967–89), born in Scorniceşti, S Romania. He studied at Bucharest, joined the Communist Party at 15, and held several junior political posts before becoming President of the State Council (1967) and general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party (1969). Under his leadership, Romania became increasingly independent of the USSR, and for many years was the only Warsaw Pact country to have cordial relations with China. He became the first president of the Republic in 1974, and established a strong personality cult. His policy of replacing traditional villages by collectives of concrete apartments caused much controversy and distress in the late 1980s. A ruthless and unpopular leader, he was deposed in 1989 when the army joined a popular revolt against his repressive government. Following a cursory trial by military tribunal, he and his wife, Elena, were shot on Christmas Day 1989. |
|
|
