BUCHAREST, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Romania's outgoing centrist President Klaus Iohannis resigned on Monday to preempt an impeachment attempt by opposition parties in parliament. This move comes as voters are highly polarized and the far-right is gaining momentum ahead of a repeat presidential election in May.
Romania, a member state of the European Union and NATO that shares its border with Ukraine, faced institutional upheaval last year when little-known far-right NATO critic Calin Georgescu won the initial round of the presidential election.
Following allegations of Russian interference, which Moscow denied, Romania's top court validated the election results and mandated that Iohannis, whose second and final term ended on Dec. 21, would remain in office until his successor is elected in May.
However, three hard-right opposition parties, collectively holding about 35% of parliamentary seats, submitted an impeachment motion against Iohannis. These parties capitalized on public discontent towards established pro-European parties tainted by corruption accusations.
As the impeachment motion was set for a vote and Iohannis faced significant unpopularity, analysts speculated that some lawmakers from mainstream pro-European parties might support the hard-right's impeachment bid, potentially securing the required majority.
In response, Iohannis stated to reporters, "The request will have consequences both domestically and abroad. To prevent Romania from enduring this unnecessary and detrimental crisis, I am stepping down from the presidency."
Senate speaker Ilie Bolojan, a member of the ruling coalition's Liberal Party, will assume the role of interim president with limited powers until the upcoming election.
Crin Antonescu, the current presidential candidate backed by the ruling coalition parties, deemed Iohannis' resignation as preferable to an impeachment process that would have diverted public attention from real issues.
Georgescu, whose support has grown substantially since the nullified election, continues to lead in voter surveys. However, uncertainty remains about his eligibility for another candidacy in light of a previous ban on a different far-right politician by the top court.
The three hard-right parties leveraged their campaign against Iohannis to fuel protests and advance their political agenda.
Approximately 1,000 pro-Georgescu supporters staged a demonstration outside government headquarters on Monday, briefly clashing with riot police.
Commenting on the situation, Sergiu Miscoiu, a political science professor at Babes-Bolyai University, remarked, "Had he resigned in December, it would have helped ease tensions. Now, the hard-right opposition is solidified and poised to claim another victory."