Mînzatu was born on 1 April 1980 in Brașov. She obtained a BA in political science in 2002 from the University of Bucharest and an MA in European integration in 2005, from the Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University. From 2004 to 2006, she was employed at the Ministry of European Integration. She later worked as a manager and consultant for several projects, particularly those financed by the European Union. Her activities also included running a non-profit business school.[1][2]
Political career
Mînzatu became involved in local political activities within the Social Democratic Party (PSD). She was a member of the Brasov district council (2004–2008, 2011–2012, 2016). In 2015, she was appointed Secretary of State at the Ministry of European Funds, and then headed the National Agency for Public Procurement (ANAP).[1][2]
In 2016, Mînzatu was elected to the Romanian Chamber of Deputies, where she became secretary of the Committee for Industries and Services and a member of the Committee for European Affairs. In June 2019 she was appointed as Minister for European Funds in the government of Viorica Dăncilă, with the particular aim of accelerating development in key sectors, such as water and waste water infrastructure and digitalization. However, the government was ousted in October of the same year following a vote of no confidence. She was not a candidate in the 2020 national election and returned to business activities until she was elected in the 2024 European Parliament elections, when her party formed an alliance with the National Liberal Party (PNL). In the parliament she became part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats grouping and a member of the Committee on Regional Development.[1][2][3][4][5]
