**Romanian President Steps Down to Avoid Crisis**
Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis has resigned, effective February 12. He made the announcement on February 10.
Iohannis said he was stepping down to prevent a crisis in Romania. This comes after opposition parties submitted an initiative to impeach him for the third time. The move is linked to his prolonged stay in office beyond his second term’s end.
**Why did Iohannis resign?**
The Romanian President has been in office since 2014. His second term ended on December 21, but he remained in power until a new president was sworn in. This was due to the annulment of the first round of presidential election results by the constitutional court.
**What’s behind the impeachment attempt?**
Opposition parties have tried to impeach Iohannis for the third time over his prolonged stay in office. The move is linked to allegations of Russian interference and a hybrid campaign on TikTok meant to prop up far-right Romanian politician Calin Georgescu.
**Who could be next in line?**
According to the Romanian constitution, Senate chairman Ilie Bolojan will serve as interim head of state until Iohannis’s successor is sworn in.