Klaus Iohannis Resigns as President

Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has resigned from office, stepping down on 12 February 2025 after announcing his decision earlier in the month to avoid a deepening political crisis and a likely impeachment vote in Parliament. Iohannis, who had served two full terms since 2014 and remained in office following the annulment of the 2024 presidential election by Romania’s Constitutional Court, said his resignation was intended to spare the country further instability. Facing mounting pressure from opposition parties — including efforts by hard-right groups to suspend and potentially impeach him — he declared he would leave office rather than see the country enter a prolonged institutional conflict. His departure created a vacancy at the Cotroceni Palace and triggered interim arrangements under the constitution. Following his resignation, Senate President Ilie Bolojan assumed the role of acting president while Romania prepared for new presidential elections scheduled for May 2025. The transition highlighted deep political tensions in the country after a contested electoral process and criticism of democratic norms, and underscored ongoing debates about constitutional interpretation and political legitimacy in Romania’s governance.