Klaus Iohannis resigns as Romania faces political crisis
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Monday, in a press statement at Cotroceni Palace, that he will resign from office on February 12.
His decision comes as Parliament was preparing to vote on his suspension. “The suspension request is baseless because I have never violated the Constitution, and it is a damaging move,” Iohannis declared. The president warned that a suspension would create political instability and impact this year’s presidential elections. “In just a few days, Parliament will vote on my suspension, and Romania will face a crisis, as this will trigger a recall referendum. This move will have consequences both domestically and internationally,” he cautioned. Parliament was scheduled to debate the suspension request on Tuesday in a joint session at 10:00 AM. The request had been submitted by the opposition. On Sunday evening, Crin Antonescu, the presidential candidate from the PNL-PSD alliance, commented on Iohannis’s possible resignation, stating that he did not believe “any president would want to leave office by being dismissed.” “Good or bad, his presidential terms have ended. If it comes to suspension, a referendum, and removal… I don’t think a president wants to exit office this way. If you are removed from office, you lose the legal privileges afforded to former presidents,” Antonescu noted. However, he also expressed confidence that pro-Western lawmakers would oppose the measure: “I hope the majority rejects the suspension initiative.” Klaus Iohannis’s second and final term officially ended on December 21, 2024. However, the Constitutional Court ruled to annul the presidential elections and allow him to remain in office until a new president is sworn in. Romania will hold presidential elections on May 4, 2025, after the Constitutional Court annulled the 2024 elections. The unprecedented decision was based on serious irregularities, including the non-transparent use of artificial intelligence and illegal campaign financing, particularly on TikTok.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
