Mihai Ghimpu - Education and Early Career

Education and Early Career

After attending elementary school in his hometown, Mihai Ghimpu enrolled in School no.1 of Chişinău (now "Gheorghe Asachi" High School). After high school, he carried out the compulsory military service in the Soviet army until 1972. Then, Ghimpu studied law at Moldova State University (1974–1978), after which worked as legal counsel to state enterprises. In 1978–1990 years he worked as a lawyer, headed the legal departments of various companies and served as a judge in Sectorul Rîşcani of Chişinău.

In the late 1980s Ghimpu joined the democratic movement. He was one of the founders of the Popular Front of Moldova, a member of the executive committee of the movement, known as one of the leading political forces in Moldova. In 1990 polls, Mihai Ghimpu was elected to Moldovan Parliament as a representative of Popular Front and in 1994 polls as a representative of the Bloc of the Intellectuals. Alongside parliament members, Ghimpu voted the Declaration of Independence of Moldova in 1991.

In 1997 Mihai Ghimpu was elected as chairman of the Party of Reform, created by Anatol Şalaru in 1993. In 1998 polls, the party obtained only 0.54% and failed to pass the electoral threshold of 4%. The Party of Reform didn't participate in 2001 polls and 2005 polls.

In April 2005, the party changed its name and became known as the Liberal Party of Moldova. In 2007, Mihai Ghimpu was elected as alderman in Chişinău Municipal Council. Two weeks later, the vice-president of the Liberal Party, Dorin Chirtoacă won a victory over the Communist Veaceslav Iordan and became mayor of Chişinău. The Liberal Party obtained 13.13% of the votes in April 2009 polls, equating to 15 out of 101 MPs; Ghimpu was one of the party's MPs and in the July 2009 polls, he was re-elected.