Klaus Iohannis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Klaus Iohannis
Iohannis in 2022
6th President of Romania
In office 21 December 2014 – 12 February 2025
Prime Minister	See list Victor Ponta Gabriel Oprea (acting) Sorin Cîmpeanu (acting) Dacian Cioloș Sorin Grindeanu Mihai Tudose Mihai Fifor (acting) Viorica Dăncilă Ludovic Orban Nicolae Ciucă (acting) Florin Cîțu Nicolae Ciucă Cătălin Predoiu (acting) Marcel Ciolacu
Preceded by	Traian Băsescu
Succeeded by	Ilie Bolojan (acting)
Mayor of Sibiu
In office 30 June 2000 – 2 December 2014
Preceded by	Dan Condurat
Succeeded by	Astrid Fodor
Leader of the National Liberal Party
In office 28 June 2014 – 18 December 2014
Preceded by	Crin Antonescu
Succeeded by	Alina Gorghiu Vasile Blaga
Leader of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
In office 2002–2013
Preceded by	Eberhard Wolfgang Wittstock
Succeeded by	Paul-Jürgen Porr
Personal details
Born	Klaus Werner Iohannis (1959-06-13) 13 June 1959 (age 65) Sibiu, Socialist Republic of Romania
Political party	Independent (since 2014)
Other political affiliations	Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (1990–2013) National Liberal Party (2013–2014)
Spouse	Carmen Lăzurcă ​ (m. 1989)​
Residence	Cotroceni Palace
Education	Babeș-Bolyai University (BSc)
Signature

Klaus Werner Iohannis (born 13 June 1959) is a Romanian politician and former physics teacher. He served as the sixth president of Romania from 2014 to 2025.

Before becoming president, he led the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 2014. From 2002 to 2013, he was the leader of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (FDGR/DFDR). He used to be a physics teacher at the Samuel von Brukenthal National College in his hometown of Sibiu.

He was first elected president in 2014 and then re-elected in 2019. He is known for helping to make Sibiu a popular place for tourists. Sibiu even became a European Capital of Culture in 2007.

Klaus Iohannis is the first Romanian president who belongs to an ethnic minority. He is a Transylvanian Saxon, part of Romania's German minority. This group settled in Transylvania a long time ago.

Klaus Iohannis: Romania's President

Klaus Iohannis has played a big role in Romanian politics. He started as a teacher and then became a successful mayor before leading his country as president.

Early Life and Education

Klaus Iohannis was born in Sibiu (also known as Hermannstadt in German) on 13 June 1959. His parents were Gustav Heinz and Susanne Johannis. He also has a younger sister, Krista. His father worked as a technician, and his mother was a nurse.

In 1992, his parents and sister moved to Germany. However, Klaus Iohannis chose to stay and work in Romania.

He studied physics at the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca and graduated in 1983. After that, he taught physics at different schools in Sibiu. From 1989 to 1997, he taught at the Samuel von Brukenthal National College, which is the oldest German-speaking school in Romania.

Later, he became a school inspector for Sibiu County. From 1999 until 2000, he was the head of public schools in the county.

Private Life

Besides his native German, Klaus Iohannis also speaks Romanian and English very well. He can also speak some French.

In 1989, he married Carmen Lăzurcă, who is an English teacher in Sibiu. They do not have children.

Iohannis is a member of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania. This is a German-speaking Lutheran church.

His family has lived in Transylvania for a very long time, about 850 years. They settled near the town of Cisnădie in Sibiu County.

Becoming Mayor of Sibiu

In 1990, Klaus Iohannis joined the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (FDGR/DFDR). He became the president of this group in 2001.

In 2000, he ran for mayor of Sibiu. Even though the German population in Sibiu was very small, he won by surprise with 69.18% of the votes. He was re-elected three more times with very high votes: 88.69% in 2004, 83.26% in 2008, and 77.89% in 2012.

Iohannis as Mayor of Sibiu in May 2005

As mayor, he worked hard to improve the city's buildings and services. He is known for making Sibiu a very popular place for tourists. He helped renovate the old downtown area, making it beautiful.

Sibiu: A European Capital of Culture

In 2007, Sibiu was named a European Capital of Culture, sharing the title with Luxembourg City. This happened because many Transylvanian Saxons, who built Sibiu, came from the area where Luxembourg is today. Sibiu was a German-speaking city for many centuries and was a cultural center for Germans in Transylvania.

In 2005, Iohannis was named "Personality of the Year for a European Romania" for his work.

From Mayor to National Politics

In October 2009, several political groups in the Romanian Parliament suggested Klaus Iohannis as a candidate for Prime Minister of Romania. They wanted him to lead the government after the previous one fell. However, the president at the time, Traian Băsescu, did not agree to nominate him.

In February 2013, Klaus Iohannis joined the National Liberal Party (PNL). He quickly became the party's first vice-president and then its president in 2014.

Becoming President of Romania

In the summer of 2014, the PNL and another party formed an alliance called the Christian Liberal Alliance. On 11 August, this alliance chose Iohannis as their candidate for the presidential election in November.

Klaus Iohannis and his PSD opponent Victor Ponta at a TV debate on Realitatea TV, 11 November 2014

He got 30.37% of the votes in the first round, placing second. In the second round on 16 November, he was elected President of Romania with 54.43% of the votes.

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

Iohannis officially became president on 21 December 2014. The Romanian constitution says that the president cannot be a formal member of a political party while in office, so he stopped his membership with the PNL.

What Does a President Do?

As president, Klaus Iohannis focused on fighting corruption and making the justice system better. He also supported a strong relationship with Western countries.

He often held meetings with different political parties to discuss important issues. For example, they agreed to spend a certain amount of money on defense. They also talked about how people living outside Romania could vote and how political campaigns are funded.

Working with Other Countries

Iohannis with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in March 2016

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Klaus Iohannis before their meeting in Washington, D.C., on 9 June 2017

Iohannis with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in March 2018

Iohannis with President of the European Council Donald Tusk in May 2019

Iohannis with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in May 2022

Iohannis with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in February 2023

Iohannis with U.S. President Joe Biden in May 2024

Iohannis worked with other leaders around the world. For example, he and the President of Poland created the Bucharest Nine group in 2015. This group includes nine countries from Central and Eastern Europe.

In March 2024, Iohannis announced he wanted to become the Secretary-General of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). However, he later withdrew his candidacy in June 2024.

Important Decisions and Challenges

Klaus Iohannis has faced various political challenges during his presidency. He has emphasized the importance of stability and cooperation in Romanian politics.

In February 2016, there was a situation where some TV stations were asked to leave their headquarters. Iohannis said that this was "hasty" and that freedom of speech should not be stopped for small reasons.

In 2021, a new government coalition was formed, called the National Coalition for Romania. Iohannis praised this new group, saying it showed "democratic maturity." He also supported the idea of a "government rotation," where different prime ministers take turns leading the country.

On 10 February 2025, Iohannis announced he would resign as President of Romania on 12 February 2025. He said he did not want to create a "divided Romania." The President of the Senate, Ilie Bolojan, will serve as acting president until a new election.

His Ideas and Beliefs

About Moldova and Romania

Klaus Iohannis has talked about the idea of uniting Moldova and Romania. He said that if the people of Moldova want to unite with Romania, then no one can stop them. However, he also stressed that Romania should first help Moldova become more stable and follow a pro-European path. He believes that unification can be discussed when both countries are stable.

On Regional Autonomy

In 2017, some people from the Hungarian Székely community in Transylvania asked for more self-rule for their region. Iohannis warned against creating regions based on ethnic groups. He said that Romanians and Hungarians should work together more.

In April 2020, a bill about Székely autonomy was discussed in Parliament. Iohannis criticized this, saying that while people were fighting the coronavirus pandemic, some politicians were trying to give Transylvania to the Hungarians. The bill was later rejected.

Fighting Corruption

President Klaus Iohannis is a strong supporter of fighting corruption in Romania. He believes it is important to have a fair justice system.

Views on Migration

Iohannis has stated that migration needs to be "controlled" and that it "affects Romanian habits." He supports stronger borders for Europe. He accepted the number of migrants his country should take in, as set by the European Union, but he is against mandatory quotas.

Awards and Recognition

Klaus Iohannis has received many awards and honors from different countries and organizations.

• 2023 – German Civic Award
• 2023 – Franz Werfel Award for Human Rights
• 2020 – European Charles IV Prize
• 2020/2021 – Charlemagne Prize
• 2020 – The Emperor Otto Prize
• 2020 – European Prize Coudenhove-Kalergi
• 2019 – Medal of Honour (Goldene Ehrennadel)
• 2018 – Franz Josef Strauss award
• 2017 – Light Unto the Nations award
• 2017 – Semper Opera Ball Dresden Medal of St. George
• 2016 – Hermann Ehlers award
• 2016 – Martin Buber-Plaque
• 2010 – Friend of the Jewish Communities in Romania Medal of Honor
• 2010 – The German Expatriates Association Plaque of Honor

He has also received many state honors, including:

• 2023 – Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty
• 2022 – Grand Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania
• 2022 – Order of the Three Stars – Commander Grand Cross
• 2022 – Grand Collar of the State of Palestine
• 2021 – Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
• 2019 – Emblem of Honour of Romanian Army
• 2017 – Grand Order of King Tomislav
• 2016 – Order (First Class) of the White Double Cross
• 2016 – Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
• 2016 – Order of the White Eagle
• 2016 – Grand Cross (Special Class) of the Order of Merit
• 2016 – Order Stara Planina with Ribbon
• 2016 – Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
• 2016 – Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
• 2016 – Collar (First Class) of the Order of Vytautas the Great
• 2016 – Order of the Holy Sepulchre
• 2016 – Order of the Republic of Moldova
• 2015 – Grand Collar of the Order of the Infante D. Henrique
• 2014 – Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit
• 2011 – Knight of the National Order for Merit
• 2009 – Officer of the Order of the Crown
• 2009 – Grand Cross Order of Merit
• 2009 – Officer of the Order of Merit
• 2008 – Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity
• 2007 – Knight of the National Order of the Star of Romania
• 2006 – Cross of the Order of Merit

Books Written by Iohannis

Klaus Iohannis has written three books about politics:

• 2014 – Step by step (Romanian: Pas cu pas), an autobiography about his time as mayor of Sibiu. It was a bestseller.
• 2015 – First step (Romanian: Primul pas), a follow-up to his first book, where he talks about his plans as president.
• 2019 – EU.RO – an open dialog on Europe (Romanian: EU.RO – un dialog deschis despre Europa), a book about the European Union (EU).

How He Was Elected

Here's a look at how Klaus Iohannis performed in elections:

Local elections (Mayor of Sibiu)

Presidential elections

Images for kids

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  Klaus Iohannis's signature

See also

In Spanish: Klaus Iohannis para niños