Klaus Iohannis became leader of the National Liberal Party in 2014, after serving as leader of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania between 2002 and 2013.
30 Facts About Klaus Iohannis
2.
Klaus Iohannis is credited with turning his city into one of Romania's most popular tourist destinations, and the city was chosen to be the European Capital of Culture in 2007.
3.
In February 2013, Klaus Iohannis became a member of the National Liberal Party, accepting an invitation from then liberal leader Crin Antonescu, and was immediately elected the party's First Vice President, eventually becoming the PNL President during the following year.
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Klaus Iohannis was again the candidate for Prime Minister of the PNL and the Social Democratic Party in the elections in the same year.
5.
Ideologically a conservative, Klaus Iohannis is the first Romanian president to come from an ethnic minority, as he is a Transylvanian Saxon, part of Romania's German minority, which settled in Transylvania beginning in the 12th century.
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Klaus Iohannis was initially elected in 2014 and then subsequently re-elected by a landslide in 2019.
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Klaus Iohannis's father worked as a technician at an enterprise, while his mother was a nurse.
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Klaus Iohannis stated that his family settled in Transylvania in present-day Romania 850 years ago.
9.
Alongside his native German and Romanian, Klaus Iohannis speaks English fluently and has some knowledge of French.
10.
Klaus Iohannis joined the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania in 1990, and served as a member of its board of education in Transylvania from 1997, and a member of the local party board in Sibiu from 1998.
11.
Klaus Iohannis is widely credited with turning his hometown into one of Romania's most popular tourist destinations thanks to the extensive renovation of the old downtown.
12.
On 20 February 2013, Klaus Iohannis joined the PNL, announcing this during a press conference with Crin Antonescu.
13.
In 2009, Klaus Iohannis had stated that he might possibly run for the office of President of Romania, although not in that year.
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Klaus Iohannis took office on 21 December 2014, when Traian Basescu's term ended.
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Klaus Iohannis is a supporter of a strongly pro-Western foreign policy.
16.
Klaus Iohannis criticized the Parliament for defending MPs by rejecting the requests of the National Anticorruption Directorate for lifting their immunity, as in the case of PSD senator Dan Sova or Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
17.
Likewise, Klaus Iohannis expressed dissatisfaction with attempted amendments to the Penal Code.
18.
Since coming into office, President Klaus Iohannis has made a habit to hold consultations with parliamentary parties.
19.
Klaus Iohannis's position was met with a wave of criticism from supporters and public figures.
20.
Klaus Iohannis has been criticized given the fact that during the two ruling years of the PSD-ALDE coalition, he sharply criticized the PSD.
21.
Some public figures in Romania, who in the past expressed their support for Klaus Iohannis, have criticized him for his double standard and lack of proper governance.
22.
President Klaus Iohannis said that a possible unification of Romania and Moldova could be discussed at the moment things are going well and stable in the two countries.
23.
Klaus Iohannis argued for more and improved cooperation between Romanians and Hungarians "as the only solution for us" instead, stressing local administrative reforms and developing the region.
24.
Klaus Iohannis criticized Ukraine's 2017 education law, which makes Ukrainian the only language of education in state schools, and cancelled his visit to Kyiv in October 2017.
25.
President Klaus Iohannis is a supporter of the fight against corruption in Romania.
26.
Klaus Iohannis has rejected demands for the suspension of the head of Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi.
27.
In terms of LGBT rights and recognition of same-sex unions in Romania, Klaus Iohannis has not stated clearly his opinion:.
28.
Klaus Iohannis's reaction was praised by international media, including The Washington Post, while religious and conservative organizations in Romania have criticized his position on LGBT rights.
29.
Klaus Iohannis has said that migration "has to be controlled" and "it affects Romanian habits" and has supported stronger external European borders.
30.
Klaus Iohannis accepted the migration quota set for his country by the EU, but said he is still opposed to mandatory quotas being set by the commission.