Romania’s President Klaus Werner Iohannis announced his resignation today, “to spare Romania and the Romanian citizens from crisis”. He will leave office on Wednesday 12 February. “He is the first Romanian President to resign”, according to Romania’s news portal HotNews. His decision comes after the Romanian Parliament voted to initiate procedures for the president’s suspension. Iohannis’ second term as President of the Republic ended on 21 December 2024, but he remained in office after the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled last December’s presidential elections. In mid-January, the Romanian Parliament had set the dates for the new presidential elections, now to be held on 4 and 18 May 2025. Iohannis commented that the initiation of his suspension was useless, unfounded and harmful. “I never violated the Constitution”, he said, recalling that in a few months, his extended term would end anyway. According to Iohannis, his suspension – which involves holding a referendum in conjunction with the presidential election campaign – would have “highly-negative” consequences both internally and externally. “We would look ridiculous in the eyes of the world!”. Until the election of a new president in May, the President of the Romanian Senate, Ilie Bolojan, will ensure the interim presidency of Romania. Among other things, he will have to organise the next presidential elections and host the European Council Summit on 21-22 March.