Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday following the initiation of impeachment proceedings and public outrage over last year’s annulled presidential election.
The country’s highest court had canceled the presidential vote scheduled for December due to allegations of Russian interference and the unexpected first-round victory of a lesser-known far-right candidate.
Iohannis, a pro-European leader, had previously stated he would stay in office until a new election in May.
However, the pressure on him intensified, and lawmakers launched impeachment proceedings against him on Monday after two prior unsuccessful attempts by the opposition.
“To prevent a crisis for Romania and its citizens… I resign from the office of president,” Iohannis said, confirming he would formally step down on Wednesday.
He added that the upcoming suspension vote in Parliament would lead to a crisis, both internally and externally, but emphasized that he had “never violated the constitution.”
The resignation was welcomed by Romania’s far-right, with supporters gathering in Bucharest, where clashes with police ensued.
Calin Georgescu, the far-right candidate who had won the first round of the election before it was canceled, called Iohannis’s resignation a “victory for the people of Romania” and urged the resumption of the second round of elections
The leader of the far-right AUR party, George Simion, also praised the resignation as a “victory for the people.”
The far-right had gained significant support in December’s parliamentary elections, reflecting public frustration over inflation and concerns about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Last month, large protests led by the far right criticized the election cancellation and called for Iohannis to resign.
Senate President Ilie Bolojan is expected to replace Iohannis.
The cancellation of elections is rare within the EU, and the situation has plunged Romania into a political crisis, with Georgescu describing the annulment as a “formalized coup d’état.”
A fresh first-round presidential election will be held on May 4, followed by a second round on May 18 if no candidate secures over 50% of the vote. Iohannis, 65, has served as Romania’s president since 2014 and faced multiple political crises during his tenure.
The Romanian Constitutional Court canceled the elections after the president’s office declassified intelligence reports detailing “aggressive Russian hybrid actions,” including cyberattacks and a large social media campaign promoting Georgescu.
Georgescu, who had previously supported Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized NATO, denied any ties to Moscow.
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