Klaus Iohannis' Resignation : A Real Turning Point for Romania ? As for Europe ?

On February 10, 2025, the Romanian, and therefore European, political landscape has just been profoundly shaken by the announcement of the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis, marking the effective end of his mandate. The latter had been extended following the cancellation of the presidential elections in December 2024, after the arrival of the independent Călin Georgescu (23%) ahead of Elena Lasconi (Save Romania Union 19%).

Klaus Iohannis, in office since 2014, had seen his mandate extended after the Romanian Constitutional Court had canceled the presidential election of December 2024, citing alleged Russian interference in favor of Călin Georgescu. Interference that has not been proven in any way, but which was the subject of numerous comments by the leaders of the European Union. The latter advocating opportunistic interventionism on the grounds of protecting freedom of opinion without having any respect for the voice of the people at the ballot box. Călin Georgescu and his supporters were, of course, described as far-right by the mainstream press, which was fed on subsidies in order to promote the position of European federalism. Positions far from what Romanians want, if they think like the French, as evidenced by the recent France-Soir/BonSens.org poll in France. Indeed, 58% of French people are calling for a Europe of Nations, and 53% reject European federalism. This cancellation sparked a wave of criticism and protest, exacerbating the political polarization already present in the country.

For mainstream media covering the event, the decision to resign was met with mixed reactions, reflecting the tensions and divisions within the nation. It was reportedly taken following growing pressure from populist groups, and to avoid “a serious democratic crisis in Romania,” according to the official version. However, this is not what is really happening on the ground, strangely reminiscent of the situation in France, where only 4% of French people believe that President Macron is leading the country in the right direction.

Former independent presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was quick to comment on the resignation: “This resignation is the beginning of a new page in the history of our country. It is time for the Romanian people to stand up and take their destiny into their hands. We have witnessed a system that tried to trample on democracy, but today we are writing a new story, one of freedom and justice.” »

Victory for the people of Romania - Klaus Iohannis resigned! Now, it’s time to return to “rule of law” - resume 2nd round of elections!

— Călin Georgescu OFFICIAL ACCOUNT (@CG_Romania) February 10, 2025

Elena Lasconi, the candidate who came in second, declared on X: "A president disconnected from reality, out of step and with no concern for the people who trust him! Klaus Iohannis' resignation comes very late. Far too late to be considered honorable. And it doesn't even give us answers to the questions that have been plaguing this country for two months: why did they cancel the elections, how can we protect ourselves from the Russians' games, who protects us from manipulation, can we guarantee the security of the next elections?"

For his part, George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), a party described as far-right by the mainstream, also welcomed this decision, although with a different perspective. Simion recently gave an interview to France-Soir about the MEGA "Make Europe Great Again" movement that he created in echo to the MAGA movement that brought Donald Trump to the 47th presidency of the United States.

George Simion, who had actively pushed for Iohannis's impeachment, said: "The resignation of Klaus Iohannis is only the first step towards restoring true democracy in Romania. We must now ensure that the next president will be a true representative of the people, not a pawn of a corrupt system."

The usurper is finally gone.@KlausIohannis has just resigned from his office! The worst and most hated president in #Romania's history.
If he had not resigned, he would have been impeached by 🇷🇴Parliament and thrown out. 
Second round of the elections must be resumed urgently!

— 🇷🇴 George Simion 🇲🇩 (@georgesimion) February 10, 2025

A Romanian political observer tells us:

“This resignation masks the fact that Iohannis was afraid that the Parliament would follow the voice of the people and pronounce his impeachment.”

Iohannis’ departure therefore comes in a real context of popular protest and demonstrations demanding a rerun of the presidential election. The criticisms against Iohannis have been numerous, ranging from the accusation of extending his mandate illegitimately to accusations of corruption and disconnection with the needs of the Romanian population.

New presidential elections were scheduled for May 4 and 18, 2025. With this resignation, the question of the legitimacy and integrity of the electoral process in Romania, as in many other countries, arises. Romania is now at a crossroads, where every decision taken could redefine its political and social future. With figures like Georgescu and Simion ready to influence this new chapter, Romania is on the cusp of a potentially profound transformation.

Let us recall that Romania, after the 1989 revolution, has kept in mind the fact that the government does not necessarily act in the interest of the population. This is evidenced by the low rate of covid vaccination (30%) of the population, thereby showing the coherence of the Romanians. Will we see a Romanian political leader asking MPs how they can declare that they are acting in the interest of the population, without having been able to first consult the content of the vaccine contracts? A real problem that amounts to asking a blind womanif she prefers blonds or brunettes. The MPs therefore did not want to take the risk of seeing... “their willful blindness” allowing them to hide behind their little finger or the bureaucracy of Europe. The opacity of contracts really does not go well with fundamental rights, including the right to transparency.

With the USAID affair and the phenomenal spending on interference in elections outside the Americas, it would seem that the way is open to the restoration of a real democratic process in Romania. Some on X wondered if Romania could have a president who puts Europe back on track and accomplishes MEGA.

🇷🇴 COULD ROMANIA GO MEGA?! IS THIS THEIR NEXT PRESIDENT?!

After the shock resignation of President Klaus Iohannis, far-right TikTok star Călin Georgescu is reemerging as a frontrunner to lead Romania.

A Make Europe Great Again (MEGA) nationalist and vocal critic of Western… https://t.co/BsNx7s41LC pic.twitter.com/m36f8WRFVj

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 10, 2025

The MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement has gained enormous momentum in the United States with the tireless work of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) team, led by Elon Musk. In just a few weeks, they have found over $100 billion in savings that are helping to restore trust between Americans and their political leaders.

When will it happen in France?