President Klaus Iohannis' resignation has reached Parliament

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis resigned on Monday, after the Parliament's leadership had agreed to debate in plenary the opposition's request to suspend the head of state.

Klaus Iohannis announced that he would step down on February 12 and said he had taken the decision to avoid the crisis that would have been provoked by a referendum on his removal.

Klaus Iohannis: Internally, the referendum will be eminently negative. Society will be divided. There will be no more discussion about the upcoming presidential elections. Externally, the effects will be lasting and very negative. Absolutely no one among our partners will understand why Romania is dismissing its president when, in fact, the procedure for electing a new president has already begun. In order to spare Romania and Romanian citizens from this crisis, I am resigning as President of Romania.

Meanwhile, the document announcing the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis has reached Parliament and the leaders of the two chambers are to convene a meeting to cancel the suspension procedure initiated by the opposition.

Translated by: Radu Matei