BUCHAREST - Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday named Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, head of the country's intelligence chief, as the new prime minister.

Basescu made the nomination several hours after Emil Boc, the incumbent prime minister, announced his decision to tender the resignation of his cabinet.

Ungureanu said after his nomination that he was conscious of the challenge of the new job, and especially the delicate moment at which he was to take office, but stressed that his political independence would give him the needed space to fulfill the mandate.

Ungureanu, 44, served as Romania's Foreign Minister between 2004 and 2007, and has been head of the Foreign Intelligence Service since 2007.

According to Ungureanu, his first task as prime minister was to promptly form a new government. He announced that he would discuss with leaders of the ruling coalition in order to identify the "best formula" of the cabinet, but said he would also meet with the opposition.

"The government to be formed needs strong parliamentary support, as well as the public confidence," he stressed.

Boc earlier on Monday announced the resignation of the cabinet "to ease the social situation."

With local elections expected in June and general elections at the end of the year, Romania has recently seen anti-government protests in Bucharest and other major cities.

The protests, the biggest since President Basescu came to power in 2004, were sparked by the resignation of prestigious public health official Raed Arafat last month in protest against a new healthcare bill.

Eventually, the protests turned against the government's austerity measures and unpopular policies, demanding the government and the president to step down.