BUCHAREST, Romania — After more than ten years of leadership, President Klaus Iohannis officially resigned on Wednesday, paving the way for senate president Ilie Bolojan to step in as acting president until new elections are conducted in the spring.
Bolojan, a 55-year-old ex-mayor and current leader of the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), is set to occupy the Cotroceni Palace as the interim president. His tenure will last until a successor is chosen during the upcoming presidential election scheduled for May in Romania, which is a member of both the European Union and NATO.
“I am completely prepared to take on this esteemed role,” stated Bolojan on Tuesday night, as he relinquished his position with the PNL. “I will approach this responsibility with the utmost decency… working to uphold the stability of our nation and assuring our international allies that Romania is steadfast and reliable.”
Iohannis, aged 65, has occupied the presidency since 2014, reaching the limit of two five-year terms. His resignation announcement came on Monday amid attempts by far-right populist opposition parties, who control nearly a third of the parliamentary seats, to initiate a motion for his removal.
Although Iohannis’ presidency was originally slated to conclude in December, he remained in power following a ruling from the Constitutional Court that invalidated a scheduled presidential runoff election just two days before it was to take place. This decision followed an unexpected first-round victory by far-right populist Calin Georgescu. The election was rife with allegations of Russian interference and violations, which contributed to national unrest.
The Romanian presidency holds substantial authority over critical areas including national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments. Nevertheless, the acting president’s powers are somewhat constrained.
New timelines have been established for the forthcoming presidential election, with the first round set for May 4. Should no single candidate secure over 50% of the votes, a secondary runoff election will occur two weeks later on May 18.
It remains uncertain if Georgescu will be eligible to participate in the impending election.
