Romania's President Klaus Iohannis departed the presidential Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday, February 12, marking the culmination of a decade in office. He is the first president in post-communist Romania's history to vacate the position. A mixed legacy is left behind, comprising two terms in office, a second term secured after the cancellation of last year's elections, and a political career characterized by both notable accomplishments and contentious issues.
He will serve as interim president until the new elections in May.
“Wishing you the best of luck! Please prioritize Romania's well-being,” Iohannis said to Bolojan as he left the palace.
During the ceremony, the honor guard paid tribute to Iohannis, who departed to applause from the Presidential Administration staff and other guests.
Klaus Iohannis is a Romanian politician and former Minister of Education. He served as the Mayor of Sibiu from 2000 to 2004 and again from 2008 to 2014.
Klaus Iohannis was the fourth president of Romania to be elected after December 1989. A member of a long-established family of Transylvanian Saxons, he was born on June 13, 1959, in Sibiu. Since 1989, he has been married to Carmen Iohannis, an English teacher at a well-respected high school in Sibiu.
He attended the German school in Sibiu, then the "Samuel von Brukenthal" High School in the same city. In 1978, he was admitted to the Faculty of Physics at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. In 1983, he started teaching at various schools near Sibiu, and five years later, he taught physics at his former high school alongside his former instructors. After the anti-communist Revolution of December 1989, he decided to stay in Romania, in Sibiu, whereas his parents and sister chose to emigrate.
He started his political career in 1990 by joining the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (FDGR), a position he held for over a decade. In 2000, he was chosen by FDGR as their candidate for the mayor of Sibiu, and he won with more than 70% of the votes. He then continued to be the preferred choice of the people of Sibiu, winning four consecutive mayoral elections.
Klaus Iohannis entered the realm of high politics in 2009 when he was nominated for prime minister by a broad parliamentary coalition. Although this opportunity did not materialize, he became a well-known public figure.
In February 2013, Klaus Iohannis chose to join the National Liberal Party (PNL) and was quickly elected as its first deputy president. A year later, he was elected as the leader of the Liberals and was chosen as PNL's candidate for the president of Romania.
Two terms as president
- on how the country should develop over the next ten years. He defeated then-prime minister Victor Ponta and replaced the highly controversial president Traian Basescu. He was sworn in before Parliament on December 21, 2014.
On November 24, 2019, he secured a second term in office with 66.09% of the votes, defeating incumbent Prime Minister Viorica Dancila.
Presidency and political challenges
During his presidency, Romanian leader Klaus Iohannis oversaw a period of significant political change. At the outset, he was seen as a strong advocate for democratic principles. However, his leadership style came under increasing criticism, ultimately resulting in a very low level of public trust by the end of his 10-year term in office.
Adopted by the Social Democrat government and MPs, especially those targeting the justice system, he was seen at that time as a shield for the anti-corruption and pro-democracy efforts in the country.
However, things weren't all positive for Iohannis. His decisions to appoint four prime ministers from the Social Democratic Party and even support an alliance between PSD and the Liberals (PNL) were strongly criticized by many, and some even claimed that he actually helped keep PSD in power. Additionally, especially during his second term, the fight against corruption took a backseat.
The start of his second term was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The president declared a state of emergency and called on Romanians to get vaccinated - a pressing issue he had to handle, which impacted his public image to some extent.
Experts believe this lack of dialogue may have also led to the emergence of radical groups and left a society that is divided and fragmented.
He utilized private aircraft for his journeys, and the presidential administration declined to reveal the costs to the public.
On a more positive note, President Iohannis continued Romania's pro-Western orientation, as evidenced by its stance during Russia's conflict with Ukraine. As a NATO and European Union member state, Romania has taken a clear position in supporting Ukraine and strongly condemning Russia's aggression.
During his tenure, he helped to enhance Romania's position and impact within the European Union and NATO, as well as develop and strengthen the Strategic Partnership with the United States of America.
In November 2015, in Bucharest, he initiated the Bucharest Nine (B9) Format in collaboration with Polish President Andrzej Duda - one of the most successful regional cooperation platforms, comprising NATO member states on the Alliance's Eastern Flank: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary.
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amid lower support.
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Resignation
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His term as president was initially set to end in December 2024, but it was extended after the Constitutional Court invalidated the presidential election due to allegations of foreign interference. The far-right candidate, Călin Georgescu, emerged as the winner in the first round of voting, although there was evidence to suggest that Russian-backed social media campaigns had influenced the outcome.
Following the event, political tensions rose sharply. Right-wing populist lawmakers redoubled their efforts to oust Klaus Iohannis from office, prompting him to announce his resignation on February 12, 2025. He stated that his motivation for stepping down was to "save Romania and its citizens from the crisis".
The combined report of the 2014-2019 term and the 2019-2024 term, spanning over 1,500 pages.
Following his resignation, the Senate president Ilie Bolojan was appointed as the interim president until new elections take place in May 2025.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
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