Andi Gabriel Grosaru, deputy of the Italian minority, has managed to attract public attention through spectacular gestures in Parliament and a presidential candidacy. Behind him, however, lies the story of a family with a long political tradition – but also with accusations of conflict of interest and criminal investigations.

(Staff: Romania / Politics & Society)

In Romanian politics, the name Grosaru is not an ordinary one. It is a name that, for almost two decades, has been associated with the representation of the Italian minority in the Romanian Parliament. From Mircea Grosaru, the father, to Andi-Gabriel Grosaru, the son, and Ioana Grosaru, the mother, the Grosaru family has managed to maintain a place in the Romanian political landscape through a combination of political skill, appeals to ethnic identity, and gestures that have often sparked controversy.

Who is Andi Grosaru?

Andi-Gabriel Grosaru was born on December 4, 1976, in Iași. He is a lawyer by profession and a Romanian deputy of Italian ethnicity, first elected to Parliament in 2016. He represents the Association of Italians in Romania (RO.AS.IT.), the organization previously led by his father, Mircea Grosaru. In March 2023, Andi Grosaru announced his candidacy for the presidency of Romania, being the first politician to make this intention public for the 2024 elections.

The father’s legacy and the shadow of conflict of interest

Mircea Grosaru was, in turn, a deputy of the Italian minority and president of the Association of Italians in Romania. In 2013, the National Integrity Agency (ANI) accused Mircea Grosaru of conflict of interest, being found guilty in a first trial. The accusation was related to the hiring of his wife, Ioana Grosaru, as a parliamentary adviser between 2008 and 2011. Mircea Grosaru passed away in February 2014, before the trial was finalized.

After his father’s death, Andi Grosaru took over both the position of deputy and the leadership of the Association of Italians in Romania. Ioana Grosaru, his mother, became a parliamentary adviser herself, thus maintaining the family’s presence in the power structures.

Controversies and spectacular gestures in Parliament

Andi Grosaru has stood out not only through his parliamentary activity but also through gestures that have attracted public attention. In 2023, he blocked the microphone in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies, which led to the suspension of the meeting. He also refused to leave the tribune of the plenary hall, generating another scandal.

In addition to these incidents, Grosaru was sanctioned by the Legal, Discipline and Immunities Committee for his statements regarding the national minorities group. He also claimed that he was illegally excluded from the Parliamentary Group of Minorities starting in October 2021.

Criminal files and controversial asset declarations

According to some press sources, Andi Gabriel Grosaru is targeted by a criminal file. Also, in a asset declaration published in 2025, he noted that he does not own land or buildings but declared paintings worth 6,000 euros. Another aspect that has sparked controversy is that Ioana Grosaru received salary income from the Association of Italians in Romania in the fiscal year prior to taking up her parliamentary mandate.

“The hooliganism of Romania’s destruction” – a cry of alarm or an accusation?

In his social media post, Vlad Mercori refers to “the hooliganism of Romania’s destruction” and the city of Iași. Although there is no clear information about this phrase, it seems to be part of a broader discourse of critics of the political class, who accuse part of the elite of corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Andi Grosaru, through his status as a controversial politician, is placed at the centre of this type of criticism.

Conclusion

The history of the Grosaru family is an example of how Romanian politics can become a family business, where legacy and influence are passed down from generation to generation. From father to son, the Grosaru name has remained synonymous with the representation of the Italian minority but also with controversies related to integrity, conflicts of interest, and spectacular gestures in Parliament. Andi Grosaru’s candidacy for the presidency and the scandals surrounding it raise questions about the future of this political “dynasty” and the way Romania chooses its representatives.