Romanian President resigns

Romania's outgoing President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation today following growing pressure from populist opposition groups, two months after the country's highest court annulled the country's presidential election.

"To spare Romania the crisis, I am resigning as President of Romania. I will leave office on Wednesday, February 12," 65-year-old Iohannis said during an emotional address.

Iohannis has been president of Romania since December 2014. His second five-year term, the last one he is eligible for, expired in December, but was extended after the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential election two days before the second round on December 8.

The election was annulled after far-right populist Calin Đorđescu unexpectedly won the most votes in the first round, followed by allegations of Russian interference and electoral irregularities.

Members of several right-wing opposition parties, as well as some deputies from the liberal, reformist Union for the Salvation of Romania, submitted a motion to parliament to remove Iohannis from office. The motion was expected to be supported by some deputies from the ruling coalition.

Johannis said it was a "useless endeavor" because he would certainly leave office in a few months, after the election of a new president in the May elections.

"This is an unfounded move because I have never, I repeat never, violated the Constitution. This is a harmful undertaking because everyone loses and no one gains," said Johannis.

He stated that the consequences of his dismissal by parliament would be "long-lasting and very negative" for Romania, a member of the European Union since 2007 and NATO since 2004.

"None of our partners will understand why Romania is replacing the president when the process of electing a new head of state has already begun," Johannis added.

The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for May 4, and if none of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round will be held on May 18. It is not yet clear whether Gjorgeescu will be able to participate in the elections.

After Iohannis announced his resignation today, clashes broke out between police and supporters of Đorđescu in front of the government building in Bucharest.

Elena Lasconi, the president of the Union for the Salvation of Romania party, who was scheduled to face Georgescu in the second round in December, said today that Iohannis' resignation "came too late to be considered honorable."

"I am glad that the Union's pressure to save Romania in parliament has woken Iohannis from his sleep. We will not stop here. We need to restructure state institutions so that they work for the citizens, not for temporary figures in power. We need truth, justice and an authentic leader with whom we will be firmly oriented towards the West," said Lasconi.