Ion Iliescu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ion Iliescu IO, OCTM, GOKT, OWE, OMRI
Iliescu in 2004
2nd and 4th President of Romania
In office 20 December 2000 – 20 December 2004
Prime Minister	Mugur Isărescu Adrian Năstase
Preceded by	Emil Constantinescu
Succeeded by	Traian Băsescu
In office 26 December 1989 – 29 November 1996
Prime Minister	Petre Roman Theodor Stolojan Nicolae Văcăroiu
Preceded by	Nicolae Ceaușescu (as President) National Salvation Front Council (interim government)
Succeeded by	Emil Constantinescu
Member of the National Salvation Front Council
In office 22 December 1989 – 13 February 1990
Member of the Senate of Romania
In office 22 November 1996 – 14 December 2008
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office 9 June 1990 – 27 September 1990
Co-Founding Leader of the National Salvation Front
In office 22 December 1989 – 7 April 1992 Serving with Petre Roman and Dumitru Mazilu
Succeeded by	Petre Roman
Founding Leader of the Democratic National Salvation Front
In office 7 April 1992 – 11 October 1992
Succeeded by	Oliviu Gherman
President of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania
In office January 1997 – 20 December 2000
Preceded by	Oliviu Gherman
Succeeded by	Adrian Năstase
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	(1930-03-03) 3 March 1930 (age 95) Oltenița, Kingdom of Romania
Political party	Social Democratic Party (2004–present)
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) is a Romanian politician and engineer. He served as the president of Romania two times. His first term was from 1989 to 1996. His second term was from 2000 to 2004.

Between his presidencies and after 2004, Iliescu was a senator. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He also helped start this party and is its honorary president.

Iliescu joined the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) in 1953. He became a key member in 1965. Later, he was gradually pushed aside by the leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu. Iliescu played a big part in the Romanian Revolution in 1989. After the revolution, he became Romania's president. In May 1990, he was elected as the country's first freely chosen leader.

After a new constitution was approved, he served two more terms. He was president from 1992 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2004. Between these terms, Emil Constantinescu was president. In 2004, while Iliescu was president, Romania joined NATO.

Early Life and Education

Ion Iliescu was born in Oltenița, Romania, on March 3, 1930. His father, Alexandru Iliescu, was a railroad worker with communist beliefs. His mother was Maria Dumitru Toma. His mother left him when he was a baby. His father spent time in prison for his political views.

His Schooling

Iliescu was raised by his stepmother and grandparents. He also lived with an aunt for a while. He studied fluid mechanics at the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute. He also studied in Moscow, Russia. While in Moscow, he was involved with Romanian student groups.

Iliescu learned to speak English after the 1989 Revolution. He also speaks Russian, French, and some Spanish.

His Marriage

In 1948, he met Elena "Nina" Șerbănescu. They were both 18 and students in Bucharest. They got married on July 21, 1951. They did not have children.

Early Political Career (1944–1989)

Campaign poster, 1965

Iliescu started his political journey in 1944. He joined the Union of Communist Youth. In 1953, he became a member of the Communist Party. He quickly moved up in the party. In 1965, he was elected to the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party. He also served as Minister for Youth Issues.

However, the leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu, did not fully trust Iliescu. Ceaușescu thought Iliescu might want to take his place. So, Iliescu was removed from his top jobs in 1972.

Iliescu in 1976 with Elena Ceaușescu

After this, he held less important roles. He was a vice-president in Timiș County and later president of Iași County Council. He also worked at a publishing house. The secret police watched him closely because he disagreed with Ceaușescu's rule.

The Romanian Revolution

The Romanian Revolution started in December 1989. It began as a protest in Timișoara. When Ceaușescu was overthrown, a new group formed. It was called the National Salvation Front (FSN). This group was made of former Communist Party members and other people who joined the revolt. Iliescu quickly became the leader of this new group.

Ceaușescu and his wife were captured and executed. Iliescu later said this was "shameful, but necessary" to stop the chaos.

Iliescu (center) with FSN members Dumitru Mazilu (left) and Petre Roman (right) on 23 December 1989.

Iliescu suggested that Romania should have multi-party elections. He wanted a new kind of democracy. This meant making changes similar to those happening in the Soviet Union at the time. He also talked about a "Swedish model" of social democracy.

There were rumors that Iliescu and other officials had planned to overthrow Ceaușescu. But Iliescu denied this. He said it was too hard to plan a coup because of the secret police.

Iliescu in 1990

Presidency (1990–2004)

First Term as President (1990–1996)

Presidential styles of Ion Iliescu
Reference style	Președintele (President)
Spoken style	Președintele (President)
Alternative style	Domnia Sa/Excelența Sa (His Excellency)

The National Salvation Front (FSN) decided to become a political party. They took part in the 1990 Romanian general election. This was Romania's first free election in 53 years. Iliescu was their candidate for president.

The FSN won a big victory. Iliescu won 85 percent of the vote. 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 left the FSN. They formed a new party called the Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN). This party eventually became the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Romania adopted its first post-Communist Constitution in 1991. In 1992, Iliescu won a second term. He received 61% of the votes in the second round. After winning, he stopped being a formal member of his political party. The Constitution does not allow the president to be a party member while in office.

Iliescu and U.S. President George W. Bush in 2002

1996 Presidential Campaign

Iliescu ran for president a third time in 1996. But he lost in the second round to Emil Constantinescu. Constantinescu had been his opponent in 1992. Iliescu accepted his defeat quickly. He was the first president since the end of Communism to lose a re-election bid.

Second Term as President (2000–2004)

Ion Iliescu with Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Indian Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004

In the 2000 presidential election, Iliescu ran again. He won against Corneliu Vadim Tudor. He started his third term on December 20, 2000. This term ended on December 20, 2004.

During this time, Romania joined NATO. The country also finished talks to join the European Union. Iliescu's government also set up a group to study the Holocaust in Romania. This group was led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. Their report became an official state document.

After the Presidency (2004–Present)

In 2005, Iliescu lost the leadership of the PSD party to Mircea Geoană. However, in 2006, he was chosen as the honorary president of the party. This role does not have official power.

Ion Iliescu in 2014

In 2009, he appeared in a movie called Medal of Honor. In recent years, he has had some health issues.

Awards and Honors

Ion Iliescu has received many awards from different countries. These awards recognize his contributions to international relations.

• 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 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 (2003)
•  Italy: Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (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 (2012)
•  Serbia and Montenegro: Order of the Yugoslav Great Star (2004)

Presidential Election Results

Here are the results of the presidential elections where Ion Iliescu was a candidate:

Images for kids

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  Ion Iliescu's signature

See Also

In Spanish: Ion Iliescu para niños