Reactions to the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis
The political class in Bucharest reacted to the first resignation in the history of Romanian presidents.
Daniela Budu, 11.02.2025, 14:00
The political class in Bucharest reacted to the first resignation in the history of Romanian presidents.
Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation from the position of President of Romania on Monday, saying his decision was meant to pre-empt a political crisis. In a public statement, Iohannis described the opposition MPs’ bid to impeach him as useless, unfounded and damaging. He said that he had never violated the Constitution and warned over the danger of Romania facing political crisis had he been impeached.
Klaus Iohannis: “Internally, society will be divided, there will be no discussion about the upcoming presidential elections, there will be no discussion about how Romania will move forward. Externally, the effects will be long-lasting and very negative. Absolutely none of our allies will understand why Romania is impeaching its president, after, in fact, it has already started the procedure for electing a new president. In order to spare Romania and the Romanian citizens from this crisis, from this unnecessary and negative development, I am resigning from the position of President of Romania.”
The leaders of the ruling coalition in Bucharest said they were not aware of Klaus Iohannis’ intention to resign, but that the move was preferable to impeachment, which would have complicated the political situation. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu: “I did not know about it. I am not a big fan of President Klaus Iohannis. I have never voted for him”. Klaus Iohannis is now in the past, said in turn, the leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Kelemen Hunor, who explained that 10 years ago Iohannis was elected with huge hopes, but that he left behind a tense society. Kelemen Hunor: “He was elected with great hopes and with the chance to be a good president for every person, for every community. He has now stepped down, leaving behind frustration and disappointment, but, at the same time, has opened the way for all of us, for the coalition, for its candidate and for Romania to elect a good president, a president for every individual”.
The opposition parties, the sovereigntist-isolationist POT, AUR, S.O.S Romania and the pro-European USR, who signed the motion for the president’s impeachment, welcomed the latter’s decision to resign. USR, however, says that the resignation comes very late and does not give answers to the questions that are tormenting the country. USR deputy leader, Ionuţ Moşteanu: “It is a decision that everyone has been waiting for. And USR has contributed to it. It is an advantage for all pro-European candidates that Klaus Iohannis will not be at Cotroceni during this campaign”.
In turn, the representatives of AUR welcomed Klaus Iohannis’ resignation and announced their intention to table a censure motion against the government led by Marcel Ciolacu. The international media also reacted to the first resignation in the history of Romanian presidents. In a troubled Romania, the president throws in the towel, France Presse wrote, adding: “Klaus Iohannis leaves the presidency with an extremely controversial mandate and a high degree of unpopularity”, while Reuters specifies that the outgoing president of Romania resigns to pre-empt an impeachment bid in parliament.
