List of heads of state of Romania

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a list consisting of all the heads of state of modern and contemporary Romania, from the establishment of the United Principalities in 1859 to the present day.

The incumbent head of state, as of 28 March 2024, is President Klaus Iohannis, a former longtime leader of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (FDGR/DFDR) for 12 years between 2001 and 2013 and, briefly, of the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 2014 as well.

In addition, Iohannis is the first Romanian president to stem from an ethnic minority of the country, as he is a Transylvanian Saxon, therefore part of the very small German minority still left in Romania.[1] His second term will normally end in December 2024 and cannot be renewed, therefore being his last.

United Principalities (1859–1881)

  Denotes Regent
Domnitor Reign Claim
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
House Reign start Reign end Duration
1 Alexandru Ioan Cuza
(1820–1873)
Cuza 24 January 1859 22 February 1866
(Abdicated)
7 years, 29 days Previously ruled as Prince of Wallachia and Moldavia
(in a personal union from 1859 until official unification in 1862)
Lascăr Catargiu
(1823–1899)
22 February 1866 20 April 1866 57 days
Princely Lieutenancy [ro]
General
Nicolae Golescu
(1810–1877)
Colonel
Nicolae Haralambie
(1835–1908)
2 Carol I
(1839–1914)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 20 April 1866 15 March 1881 14 years, 329 days 1866 Referendum

Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947)

  Denotes Regent
  Denotes Conducător
King Reign Claim
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
House Reign start Reign end Time in office
(2) Carol I
(1839–1914)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 15 March 1881 10 October 1914 33 years, 209 days Previously ruled as Domnitor
3 Ferdinand I
(1865–1927)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 10 October 1914 20 July 1927 12 years, 283 days Nephew of Carol I
4 Michael I
(1921–2017)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 20 July 1927 8 June 1930
(Deposed)
2 years, 323 days Grandson of Ferdinand I
Prince Nicholas
(1903–1978)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 20 July 1927 8 June 1930
(Resigned)
2 years, 323 days
Regency Council
For Michael I
Patriarch
Miron Cristea
(1868–1939)
Gheorghe Buzdugan
(1867–1929)
7 October 1929
(Died)
2 years, 79 days
Constantin Sărățeanu [ro]
(1862–1935)
9 October 1929 8 June 1930
(Resigned)
242 days
5 Carol II
(1893–1953)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 8 June 1930 6 September 1940
(Abdicated)
10 years, 90 days Son of Ferdinand I
(4) Michael I
(1921–2017)
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen 6 September 1940 30 December 1947
(Abdicated)
7 years, 115 days Son of Carol II
Marshal
Ion Antonescu
(1882–1946)
6 September 1940 23 August 1944
(Deposed)
3 years, 352 days Conducător
With Michael I

Romanian People's Republic/Socialist Republic of Romania (1947–1989)

Title
  • 1947–1948: President of the Provisional Presidium of the Republic
  • 1948–1961: President of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly
  • 1961–1974: President of the State Council
  • 1974–1989: President of Romania
Status
  Denotes acting Head of State
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election Political party Position(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
6 Constantin Ion Parhon
(1874–1969)
30 December 1947 13 April 1948 105 days 1947 PMR President of the Provisional Presidium of the Republic
13 April 1948 12 June 1952 4 years, 60 days 1948 President of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly
7 Petru Groza
(1884–1958)
12 June 1952 7 January 1958
(Died)
5 years, 209 days 1952 FP (1952–1953)
Independent (1953–1958)
Mihail Sadoveanu
(1880–1961)
7 January 1958 11 January 1958 4 days PMR Acting presidents of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly
Anton Moisescu
(1913–2002)
PMR
8 Ion Gheorghe Maurer
(1902–2000)
11 January 1958 21 March 1961 3 years, 69 days 1958 PMR President of the Presidium of the Great National Assembly
9 Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
(1901–1965)
21 March 1961 19 March 1965
(Died)
3 years, 363 days 1961 PMR President of the State Council
Ion Gheorghe Maurer
(1902–2000)
19 March 1965 24 March 1965 5 days PMR Acting presidents of the State Council
Ștefan Voitec
(1900–1984)
PMR
Avram Bunaciu
(1909–1983)
PMR
10 Chivu Stoica
(1908–1975)
24 March 1965 9 December 1967
(Resigned)
2 years, 260 days 1965 PMR
PCR
President of the State Council
11 Nicolae Ceaușescu
(1918–1989)
9 December 1967 28 March 1974 22 years, 13 days 1967 PCR
28 March 1974 22 December 1989
(Deposed)
1974
1980
1985
President of Romania

General Secretary of the Romanian Workers' Party/Romanian Communist Party

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Position(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
(1901–1965)
16 October 1945 19 April 1954 8 years, 185 days General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party
21 February 1948 General Secretary of the Romanian Workers' Party
Gheorghe Apostol
(1913–2010)
19 April 1954 30 September 1955 1 year, 164 days First Secretary of the Romanian Workers' Party
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej
(1901–1965)
30 September 1955 19 March 1965
(Died)
9 years, 170 days
Nicolae Ceaușescu
(1918–1989)
22 March 1965 22 December 1989
(Deposed)
24 years, 275 days
24 July 1965 General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party

Contemporary Romania (1989–present)

The Constitution of Romania prohibits the President to be a member of any political party while in office. The parties listed below represent the political affiliation before the 1991 Constitution was adopted and the party affiliation of the ad interim (i.e. acting) presidents, for whom such a restriction is not explicitly stipulated in the law.

Title
  • 1989–1989: Council of the National Salvation Front (collective)
  • 1989–1990: President of the Council of the National Salvation Front
  • 1990          : President of the Provisional National Unity Council
  • 1990–present: President of Romania
Status
  Denotes ad interim (i.e. acting) President
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election Political party Government(s)
(Term)
Position(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
Council of the National Salvation Front[2]
Spokesman: Ion Iliescu
22 December 1989 26 December 1989 4 days FSN Itself
(1989)
Collective Head of State
Ion Iliescu
(born 1930)
[a]
26 December 1989[3] 20 June 1990 6 years, 339 days Feb 1990 FSN
(1989–1992)
FDSN
(1992)
PDSR
(1992–1996)
Roman IIIIII (1989–1991)
Stolojan
(1991–1992)
Văcăroiu
(1992–1996)
President of the Council of the National Salvation Front
President of the Provisional National Unity Council
20 June 1990 29 November 1996 May 1990
1992
President of Romania
12
13 Emil Constantinescu
(born 1939)
29 November 1996 20 December 2000 4 years, 21 days 1996 PNȚCD Ciorbea
(1996–1998)
Vasile
(1998–1999)
Isărescu
(1999–2000)
14 Ion Iliescu
(born 1930)
20 December 2000 20 December 2004 4 years 2000 PDSR Năstase
(2000–2004)
15 Traian Băsescu
(born 1951)
[b]
20 December 2004 21 December 2014 10 years, 1 day 2004
2009
PD (2004–2007)
PDL
(2007–2014)
Tăriceanu III
(2004–2008)
Boc III
(2008–2012)
Ungureanu
(2012)
Ponta IIIIIIIV
(2012–2014)
Nicolae Văcăroiu
(born 1943)
[c]
20 April 2007 23 May 2007 33 days PSD Tăriceanu II
(2007–2008)
ad interim President of Romania
(as President of the Senate)
Crin Antonescu
(born 1959)
[d]
10 July 2012 27 August 2012 48 days PNL Ponta I
(2012)
ad interim President of Romania
(as President of the Senate)
16 Klaus Iohannis
(born 1959)
21 December 2014 Incumbent 9 years, 98 days 2014
2019
PNL Ponta IV
(2014–2015)
Cioloș
(2015–2017)
Grindeanu
(2017)
Tudose
(2017–2018)
Dăncilă
(2018–2019)
Orban III
(2019–2020)
Cîțu
(2020–2021)
Ciucă
(2021–2023)
Ciolacu
(2023–present)
President of Romania

Timeline

Klaus IohannisCrin AntonescuNicolae VăcăroiuTraian BăsescuEmil ConstantinescuIon IliescuCouncil of the National Salvation FrontNicolae CeaușescuChivu StoicaGheorghe Gheorghiu-DejIon Gheorghe MaurerPetru GrozaConstantin Ion ParhonIon AntonescuCarol II of RomaniaMichael I of RomaniaFerdinand I of RomaniaCarol I of RomaniaAlexandru Ioan Cuza

See also

Footnotes and references

  1. ^ Valentina Pop (17 November 2014). "Romanians elect first ethnic German president". EUobserver.
  2. ^ "Countries QR". rulers.org.
  3. ^ "Rulers.org".[permanent dead link]
  1. ^ Iliescu served as President of Council of the National Salvation Front until 6 February 1990, as President of the Provisional National Unity Council from 6 February 1990 to 20 June 1990, and then as President of Romania until 29 November 1996.
  2. ^ Băsescu was impeached twice during his presidency. His powers and duties were suspended during the impeachment processes from 20 April 2007 to 23 May 2007 and from 10 July 2012 to 27 August 2012.
  3. ^ Văcăroiu acted as President during Băsescu's first impeachment until the latter was reinstated by referendum.
  4. ^ Antonescu acted as President during Băsescu's second impeachment until the latter was reinstated by referendum.
  • Bulei, Ion, O istorie a românilor, Editura Meronia, București, 2007, pg. 266–267

External links