Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has firmly rejected calls for his resignation, insisting he will remain in office until a new president is elected, according to Euractiv.
Speaking at an informal meeting of EU leaders on defence issues in Brussels on Monday, Iohannis dismissed the resignation demands as “populist and electoral,” emphasising that the Constitution requires him to stay in power until his successor is sworn in.
The Constitution clearly states that I must remain in office until I hand over the mandate to the newly elected president. I don’t think this is what we should be discussing.
The controversy stems from the Constitutional Court’s decision to allow Iohannis to remain in office after the first round of the presidential election in November 2024 was annulled. The ruling, which has been criticised by legal experts, including former Constitutional Court president Augustin Zegrean, was necessary because the Constitution does not address the scenario of an annulled election.
Under Romanian law, the president serves a five-year term and remains in office until a newly elected president takes the oath. Extending the term requires a law passed by an absolute majority, applicable only in cases of war or disaster.
Iohannis’s approval rating, already the lowest of any Romanian president in their final year at 16.2%, has further declined since the court’s decision. Some parties attempted to initiate impeachment proceedings in January, but the proposal was rejected by the joint permanent offices of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate due to procedural violations.
Political crisis
Elena Lasconi, leader of the USR party, has been particularly vocal in her criticism, describing Iohannis as an “illegitimate” president. She came second in the annulled first round and stated that she could have defeated Călin Georgescu in a runoff.
Meanwhile, Iohannis acknowledged the public’s frustration over the unresolved election but urged institutions to focus on preparing for the upcoming vote in May.
Unfortunately, that’s how it turned out. That’s why I believe it’s even more important now for institutions to prepare very seriously for the elections.
As Romania navigates the constitutional and political crisis, Iohannis’s refusal to step down underscores the challenges of upholding democratic norms while addressing public discontent.
