Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has announced his resignation, succumbing to escalating pressure from far-right parliamentary parties pushing for his impeachment. The decision comes in the wake of a top court's annulment of the recent presidential election, marred by accusations of Russian interference. Calin Georgescu, a previously little-known far-right candidate, emerged victorious in the first round, surprising many and fuelling political turmoil.
In recent months, several opposition parties, notably the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), have been vocal in their demand for Iohannis's removal. Protests organized by these groups saw tens of thousands of Romanians flood the streets, voicing their discontent over the election cancellation. Some demonstrators explicitly called for Iohannis's resignation, echoing the sentiments of the opposition.
Three far-right parties, holding approximately 35 percent of parliamentary seats, initiated a motion to impeach Iohannis in January. Facing mounting pressure, Iohannis announced his decision to resign on Monday, stating he would vacate office on February 12. In his announcement, he expressed concerns over the political crisis that could ensue if he remained in office.
“To spare Romania from this crisis, I am resigning as president of Romania,” – Klaus Iohannis
The Senate president and liberal leader, Ilie Bolojan, is poised to assume the presidency temporarily until a new leader is elected. Despite the political upheaval, Iohannis assured the nation that he had not violated any constitutional provisions during his tenure.
“It is an unfounded move because I have never – I repeat, never – violated the constitution.” – Klaus Iohannis
Iohannis's second and final term officially ended on December 21. However, Romania's top court had decreed he would remain until a successor was elected. The annulled election is now set to be rerun with the first and second rounds scheduled for May 4 and May 18, respectively.
Far-right AUR party leader George Simion expressed satisfaction with Iohannis's departure, viewing it as a victory for their movement. Simion encouraged supporters to focus on the upcoming election reruns.
“It’s your [the people’s] victory! Now it’s time to get back [to] round two,” – George Simion
“In a few days, the Romanian Parliament will vote on my suspension and Romania will go into crisis … This whole endeavour will have effects internally and unfortunately also externally,” – Klaus Iohannis
“This is a useless endeavour because, in any case, I will leave office in a few months after the election of the new president,” – Klaus Iohannis
