BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Monday following mounting pressure from populist opposition groups, two months after a top court annulled a presidential election in the European Union country.
“To spare Romania from this crisis, I am resigning as president of Romania,” he said in an emotional address on Monday, adding that he will leave office on Feb. 12.
Iohannis, 65, held the presidential role since 2014 and served the maximum of two five-year terms. But his presidency was extended in December after the Constitutional Court canceled the presidential race two days before a Dec. 8 runoff.
That came after the far-right populist Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round, after which allegations emerged of Russian interference and electoral violations.
The Associated Press
