Positions held during the Communist era


Member of the State Council
In office 1979–1980
Member of the Great National Assembly
In office 1957–1961
In office 1965–1973
In office 1975–1985
Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
In office 1965–1984
Minister of Youth and First Secretary of the Union of Communist Youth
In office 11 December 1967 – 17 March 1971
Prime Minister	Ion Gheorghe Maurer
Preceded by	Petru Enache (as First Secretary of the Union of Communist Youth)
Succeeded by	Dan Marțian
President of the National Water Council
In office 28 August 1979 – 16 March 1984
Prime Minister	Ilie Verdeț Constantin Dăscălescu
Preceded by	Florin Ioan Iorgulescu
Succeeded by	Ion Badea
President of Iași County Council
In office 1974–1979
Vice-President of Timiș County Council
In office 1971–1974

Personal details

Born

3 March 1930
Oltenița, Kingdom of Romania

Died

5 August 2025 (aged 95)
Bucharest, Romania

Political party

Social Democratic Party (2004–2025)

Other political
affiliations

Romanian Communist Party
(1953–1989)
National Salvation Front
(1989–1992)
Democratic National Salvation Front (1992)
Independent politician
(1992–1996; 2000–2004)
Party of Social Democracy in Romania (1996–2000)

Spouse

Nina Iliescu

(m. 1951)

Parents

Alexandru Iliescu [ro] (father)
Maria Dumitru Toma (mother)

Alma mater

Bucharest Polytechnic Institute
Moscow State University

Known for

Romanian Revolution

Religion

None (atheist)

Signature

Ion Iliescu (born 3 March 1930 – died 5 August 2025) was an important Romanian politician and engineer. He served as the President of Romania two times. His first term was from 1990 to 1996, and his second was from 2000 to 2004. Iliescu was a senator for the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He also helped start this party and was its honorary president.

Iliescu joined the Romanian Communist Party in 1953. He became a key member of its Central Committee in 1965. Later, in 1971, he started to lose favor with the leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu. Iliescu played a big part in the Romanian Revolution in 1989. After the revolution, he became Romania's president in December 1989. In May 1990, he was elected as Romania's first leader in a free election. He served two more terms after a new constitution was approved. These terms were from 1992 to 1996 and from 2000 to 2004. Between these terms, Emil Constantinescu was president. In 2004, while Iliescu was president, Romania became a member of NATO. Ion Iliescu passed away on 5 August 2025. At the time of his death, he was the oldest Romanian president.

A Leader for Romania
Images for kids
See also

A Leader for Romania

Early Life and Learning

Family Background

Ion Iliescu was born on 3 March 1930 in Oltenița, a city in Romania. His parents were Alexandru Iliescu and Maria Dumitru Toma. His mother, from Bulgaria, left when he was a baby. His father, Alexandru, worked on the railroad. He held beliefs that were not allowed by the government at the time. Because of his beliefs, his father traveled to the Soviet Union in 1931. He stayed there for four years. When he returned, he faced difficulties from the Romanian authorities. Alexandru Iliescu passed away in 1945. Ion Iliescu also shared that his grandfather, Vasili Ivanovici, was a Russian who came to Romania seeking safety.

School Days

Ion Iliescu was raised by his stepmother and grandparents. Later, an aunt named Aristița adopted him. He studied fluid mechanics at the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute in Romania. He also studied in Moscow at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. While in Moscow, he was involved with Romanian students. Some people thought he met Mikhail Gorbachev there, but Iliescu said he did not. However, Nicolae Ceaușescu, the leader of Romania, seemed to think they were connected. Because of this, Iliescu was sent away from Bucharest when Gorbachev visited in 1989. After the 1989 Revolution, Iliescu learned to speak English. He also spoke Russian, French, and some Spanish.

Marriage

Ion Iliescu met Elena "Nina" Șerbănescu in 1948. They were both 18 and students in Bucharest. They got married on 21 July 1951. The couple did not have any children.

Joining Politics

Before the Revolution

Ion Iliescu started his political journey by joining the Union of Communist Youth in 1944. In 1953, he became a member of the Communist Party. This marked the beginning of his career in politics. He quickly rose through the ranks. In 1956, he became a secretary for the Union of Communist Youth. By 1965, he was elected to the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party. He also worked as the Minister for Youth-related Issues starting in 1967.

However, in 1972, he had to leave this position. The country's leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu, did not fully trust him. Ceaușescu worried that Iliescu might become his successor. After this, Iliescu was less involved in national politics. He still kept his place on the Central Committee until 1985. He was given roles in local government, like being vice-president of the Timiș County Council and later president of the Iași Council. Before 1989, he also managed a publishing house. After 1985, a special secret police force watched him closely. This was because he openly disagreed with Ceaușescu's way of leading the country.

The Romanian Revolution

The Romanian Revolution began with protests in Timișoara. After Ceaușescu was removed from power on 22 December 1989, a new group called the National Salvation Front (FSN) stepped in. This group was formed by people who opposed Ceaușescu. Ion Iliescu quickly became the leader of this new group.

Ceaușescu and his wife were captured. They were then removed from power and died on Christmas Day. Years later, Iliescu said that these events were "necessary" to end the difficult situation in the country.

Iliescu suggested that Romania should have elections with many political parties. He also talked about creating a new kind of democracy. This new government was welcomed by the Soviet Union. Romania's first international agreement after the revolution was with the Soviet Union. Iliescu also mentioned the idea of a "Swedish model" for social democracy. This meant a system that combines democracy with social support for citizens.

For many years, there were rumors that Iliescu and other officials had planned to remove Ceaușescu. However, Iliescu said that it was very difficult to plan such a thing. This was because of the strong secret police force that watched everyone.

Becoming President

First Time as President (1990-1996)

The National Salvation Front (FSN) decided to become a political party. They took part in the 1990 Romanian general election. This was the first free election in Romania in 53 years. Iliescu was their candidate for president. The FSN won by a large margin. Iliescu won the presidential election with 85% of the votes. This was the largest share of votes ever in a free presidential election in Romania. He became Romania's first democratically elected head of state.

Later, Iliescu and his supporters formed a new party called the Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN). This party later became the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Over time, the FSN changed from being a broad group to a regular political party.

Under pressure from public events, Iliescu's political views changed. He moved from supporting Perestroika (reforms in the Soviet Union) to becoming a supporter of Western European social democracy. Romania adopted its first post-Communist Constitution in 1991. In 1992, Iliescu won a second term as president. He received 61% of the votes in the second round. He then stopped being a formal member of his political party. This is because the Constitution does not allow the president to be a party member while in office.

Second Time as President (2000-2004)

Iliescu ran for president again in 2000. He won the first round with 36.4% of the votes. In the final round on 10 December, Iliescu won against Corneliu Vadim Tudor with 66.8% of the votes.

He started his third term as president on 20 December 2000. This term ended on 20 December 2004. During this time, Romania joined NATO. The country also completed talks to join the European Union. One important action during Iliescu's second term was setting up a special group. This group studied the Holocaust in Romania. The group's report was accepted by Iliescu as an official state document.

After His Presidency

Iliescu with Victor Ponta and Liviu Dragnea, 29 May 2014

In the PSD party elections of 2005, Iliescu lost to Mircea Geoană. However, in 2006, he was chosen as the honorary president of the party. This was a special title without official power.

In 2009, he appeared in a scene in the film Medalia de onoare (Medal of Honour). In April 2019 and September 2023, Iliescu was hospitalized in Bucharest for health reasons.

On 19 May 2025, Iliescu congratulated Nicușor Dan after his victory in the 2025 Romanian presidential election.

Avangarda Interviews

On 19 June 2025, while he was in the hospital, a series of podcast interviews called Avangarda was released. These interviews were with Ionuț Vulpescu, who used to be his advisor. The interviews had been recorded over several years. Iliescu had planned to share a statement about the 2024 Romanian presidential election on 6 December 2024. However, he did not because the election results were canceled. This statement was published on 19 June along with the podcast.

Illness and Death

On 11 June 2025, Iliescu was admitted to a hospital in Bucharest because he had trouble breathing. His condition was reported as stable a few days later. He faced health challenges and underwent medical procedures. His condition worsened on 18 June, but then showed slight improvement on 19 June.

Ion Iliescu passed away on 5 August 2025, at the age of 95, after being in the hospital for almost two months.

Awards and Honors

Order of the Star of the Romanian Socialist Republic, First Class (1971)
Azerbaijani Istiglal Order (2004)
Estonia: Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Uruguay: Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1996)
Slovakia: Grand Cross (or 1st Class) of the Order of the White Double Cross (2002)
Croatia: Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (2003)
Spain: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Civil Merit – 10 June 2003
Italy: Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic – 15 October 2003
Poland: Order of the White Eagle (2003)
Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2004)
Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant (2004)
Romania: Emblema de Onoare al Armatei României ("The Romanian Army's Badge of Honour") – 24 October 2012
Serbia and Montenegro: Order of the Yugoslav Great Star (2004)

How He Was Elected

Presidential Elections

Election	Affiliation	First round			Second round
Election	Affiliation	Votes	Percentage	Position	Votes	Percentage	Position
1990	FSN	12,232,498	85.1%	1st
1992	FDSN	5,633,465	47.5%	1st	7,393,429	61.4%	1st
1996	PDSR	4,081,093	32.3%	1st	5,914,579	45.6%	2nd
2000	PDSR	4,076,273	36.4%	1st	6,696,623	66.8%	1st

Images for kids

Campaign poster, 1965
Iliescu in 1976 with Elena Ceaușescu
Iliescu (centre) with FSN members Dumitru Mazilu (left) and Petre Roman (right) on 23 December 1989, one day after the formation of the FSN.
Iliescu and U.S. President George W. Bush in 2002
Ion Iliescu with Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Indian Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004