On January 16, Romania’s three opposition far-right parties initiated the process to oust the incumbent centrist President Klaus Iohannis following the cancellation of a presidential election, but their chances of success appeared slim.
Last year, Romania, an EU and NATO member neighboring Ukraine, faced institutional turmoil when far-right candidate Calin Georgescu emerged victorious in the initial round of the November 24 presidential election. This event sparked allegations of Russian interference, which Moscow refuted, leading to the annulment of the entire election.
The upcoming two-round election is scheduled for May 4 and May 18. In the interim, Romania’s highest court ruled that Iohannis, whose second and final term ended on December 21, would remain in office until a new president is elected.
Nonetheless, on Thursday, the three far-right opposition parties, collectively representing around 35% of parliamentary seats, lodged a motion to impeach Iohannis. These groups have gained support following Georgescu's invalidated victory in the initial round and have stood by his unsuccessful efforts to contest the annulment.
In Romania, impeachment requests can be initiated by a third of lawmakers, but they require a parliamentary majority to pass. The ruling pro-European coalition, formed after the December 1 parliamentary elections, holds a narrow majority which is anticipated to remain intact.