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Euractiv
6 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
Ion Iliescu, Romania's first post-Communist president, dies at 95
Ion Iliescu, Romania's first president after the fall of communism, died on Tuesday at the age of 95, leaving behind a deeply controversial legacy. A central figure in post-1989 Romania, Iliescu won the country's first free elections in 1990 and was re-elected in 1992 and 2000. Even after stepping back from politics, he remained influential within the Social Democratic Party, though health issues limited his public appearances in recent years. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer two months before his death. Iliescu, who studied in Moscow, rose through the ranks of the Communist Party but was sidelined by dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. After Ceaușescu was overthrown and executed during the December 1989 Revolution, Iliescu emerged as a key figure in the power vacuum. He and other dissidents formed the National Salvation Front, which took control with military backing, and Iliescu was installed as interim leader. His role during and after the Revolution has long been disputed. Some revolutionaries claim that on 23 December 1989, Iliescu sought Soviet military support. His past links to the regime sparked mass anti-communist protests in Bucharest's University Square in 1990. Iliescu responded by calling in miners from the Jiu Valley to quash the demonstrations, triggering violent clashes known as the 'Mineriada.' The crackdown drew widespread condemnation, but legal proceedings moved slowly. In April 2024, Iliescu and former Prime Minister Petre Roman were indicted for crimes against humanity in connection to the June 1990 violence. Prosecutors allege that the coordinated state response left four people dead, two raped, over 1,300 injured, and more than 1,200 illegally detained. Critics argue that Romania's democratic transition might have taken a different path had the 1990 Timișoara Proclamation, which sought to bar former communists from public office, been enacted. Supporters, however, credit Iliescu with stabilising the country, launching EU integration efforts with the 1995 Snagov Declaration, and steering Romania into becoming a NATO member during his final term in office. (cz)
The Australian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Australian
Ion Iliescu: democratic Romania's first president
Romania's former president Ion Iliescu, who died aged 95 on Tuesday, was long hailed as Romania's "little father" but faced charges over his role in the eastern European nation's chaotic transition from communism to democracy. The influential politician was last seen in public in 2017 when he was questioned by prosecutors. That probe related to his role in the violence during the fall of communism which led to more than 850 deaths and saw him face charges of crimes against humanity. - Fallout with Ceausescu regime - A communist party apparatchik born on March 3, 1930, Iliescu served as former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's minister for youth. But in the 1970s he fell into disgrace and was marginalised. He rose to power during the December 1989 anti-communist uprising that toppled Ceausescu, under circumstances that remain unclear, becoming the self-appointed leader of the National Salvation Front, an interim governing body. Iliescu then won a landslide victory in the country's first democratic elections in May 1990. He was reelected for a four-year term in 1992, but was defeated at the polls in 1996, only to return to power in 2000 for a third term -- the most allowed by the Constitution. During this last term Romania joined NATO in 2004 and signed the European Union accession treaty, with membership becoming effective in 2007. The former Moscow University graduate was elected to Romania's Senate in 2004 but did not run in subsequent elections, arguing that a secondary role in politics was more appropriate for a man his age. He nonetheless continued to be revered by many Romanians, especially in impoverished rural regions. His advice still counted when his Social Democratic Party -- -- a successor to the National Salvation Front -- was faced with major decisions. "Iliescu was a man of dialogue and not a bit confrontational. He would rather try to convince people than give orders," sociologist Vasile Dancu, a fellow Social Democrat who knew Iliescu well, told AFP. He said "consensus" was one of the former president's favourite words. - 'Canny politician' - "He was an affable, well-read man, who knew how to flatter people but who could also be manipulative," a former French ambassador to Romania, Henri Paul, told AFP. "A canny politician through and through." Iliescu never disavowed his hardline leftist views and blasted the "bloodsucking" western countries and international financial institutions. Over the past two decades, Iliescu had faced charges of crimes against humanity over the violence during the fall of communism. In a separate case, he was also indicted over the decision to call in miners to crush student protests after his election in 1990. The crackdown brought widespread international condemnation. But due to legal wranglings, Iliescu has not stood trial in either case. Iliescu has denied any wrongdoing, at one point describing it as "a disgrace for Romania to indict the head of state who played a major part in its democratisation". Though he was one of the few top-ranking Romanian politicians not to be suspected of illicit enrichment, high-level corruption flourished during his terms in office and analysts said the independence of the judiciary was often trampled on. "I'd rather be poor but honest than rich and a thief," he used to say. Iliescu, who spoke fluent English, French and Russian, was married with no children. His wife Nina was only seen in public when the couple went to the polls, once every four years. The government announced his death in a statement on Tuesday, after he was hospitalised with lung cancer in early June. It declared August 7 a day of national mourning in his memory. mr-ani-jza-kym/rlp
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Ion Iliescu: democratic Romania's first president
Romania's former president Ion Iliescu, who died aged 95 on Tuesday, was long hailed as Romania's "little father" but faced charges over his role in the eastern European nation's chaotic transition from communism to democracy. The influential politician was last seen in public in 2017 when he was questioned by prosecutors. That probe related to his role in the violence during the fall of communism which led to more than 850 deaths and saw him face charges of crimes against humanity. - Fallout with Ceausescu regime - A communist party apparatchik born on March 3, 1930, Iliescu served as former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's minister for youth. But in the 1970s he fell into disgrace and was marginalised. He rose to power during the December 1989 anti-communist uprising that toppled Ceausescu, under circumstances that remain unclear, becoming the self-appointed leader of the National Salvation Front, an interim governing body. Iliescu then won a landslide victory in the country's first democratic elections in May 1990. He was reelected for a four-year term in 1992, but was defeated at the polls in 1996, only to return to power in 2000 for a third term -- the most allowed by the Constitution. During this last term Romania joined NATO in 2004 and signed the European Union accession treaty, with membership becoming effective in 2007. The former Moscow University graduate was elected to Romania's Senate in 2004 but did not run in subsequent elections, arguing that a secondary role in politics was more appropriate for a man his age. He nonetheless continued to be revered by many Romanians, especially in impoverished rural regions. His advice still counted when his Social Democratic Party -- -- a successor to the National Salvation Front -- was faced with major decisions. "Iliescu was a man of dialogue and not a bit confrontational. He would rather try to convince people than give orders," sociologist Vasile Dancu, a fellow Social Democrat who knew Iliescu well, told AFP. He said "consensus" was one of the former president's favourite words. - 'Canny politician' - "He was an affable, well-read man, who knew how to flatter people but who could also be manipulative," a former French ambassador to Romania, Henri Paul, told AFP. "A canny politician through and through." Iliescu never disavowed his hardline leftist views and blasted the "bloodsucking" western countries and international financial institutions. Over the past two decades, Iliescu had faced charges of crimes against humanity over the violence during the fall of communism. In a separate case, he was also indicted over the decision to call in miners to crush student protests after his election in 1990. The crackdown brought widespread international condemnation. But due to legal wranglings, Iliescu has not stood trial in either case. Iliescu has denied any wrongdoing, at one point describing it as "a disgrace for Romania to indict the head of state who played a major part in its democratisation". Though he was one of the few top-ranking Romanian politicians not to be suspected of illicit enrichment, high-level corruption flourished during his terms in office and analysts said the independence of the judiciary was often trampled on. "I'd rather be poor but honest than rich and a thief," he used to say. Iliescu, who spoke fluent English, French and Russian, was married with no children. His wife Nina was only seen in public when the couple went to the polls, once every four years. The government announced his death in a statement on Tuesday, after he was hospitalised with lung cancer in early June. It declared August 7 a day of national mourning in his memory.
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Ion Iliescu: Democratic Romania's First President
Romania's former president Ion Iliescu, who died aged 95 on Tuesday, was long hailed as Romania's "little father" but faced charges over his role in the eastern European nation's chaotic transition from communism to democracy. The influential politician was last seen in public in 2017 when he was questioned by prosecutors. That probe related to his role in the violence during the fall of communism which led to more than 850 deaths and saw him face charges of crimes against humanity. A communist party apparatchik born on March 3, 1930, Iliescu served as former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's minister for youth. But in the 1970s he fell into disgrace and was marginalised. He rose to power during the December 1989 anti-communist uprising that toppled Ceausescu, under circumstances that remain unclear, becoming the self-appointed leader of the National Salvation Front, an interim governing body. Iliescu then won a landslide victory in the country's first democratic elections in May 1990. He was reelected for a four-year term in 1992, but was defeated at the polls in 1996, only to return to power in 2000 for a third term -- the most allowed by the Constitution. During this last term Romania joined NATO in 2004 and signed the European Union accession treaty, with membership becoming effective in 2007. The former Moscow University graduate was elected to Romania's Senate in 2004 but did not run in subsequent elections, arguing that a secondary role in politics was more appropriate for a man his age. He nonetheless continued to be revered by many Romanians, especially in impoverished rural regions. His advice still counted when his Social Democratic Party -- -- a successor to the National Salvation Front -- was faced with major decisions. "Iliescu was a man of dialogue and not a bit confrontational. He would rather try to convince people than give orders," sociologist Vasile Dancu, a fellow Social Democrat who knew Iliescu well, told AFP. He said "consensus" was one of the former president's favourite words. "He was an affable, well-read man, who knew how to flatter people but who could also be manipulative," a former French ambassador to Romania, Henri Paul, told AFP. "A canny politician through and through." Iliescu never disavowed his hardline leftist views and blasted the "bloodsucking" western countries and international financial institutions. Over the past two decades, Iliescu had faced charges of crimes against humanity over the violence during the fall of communism. In a separate case, he was also indicted over the decision to call in miners to crush student protests after his election in 1990. The crackdown brought widespread international condemnation. But due to legal wranglings, Iliescu has not stood trial in either case. Iliescu has denied any wrongdoing, at one point describing it as "a disgrace for Romania to indict the head of state who played a major part in its democratisation". Though he was one of the few top-ranking Romanian politicians not to be suspected of illicit enrichment, high-level corruption flourished during his terms in office and analysts said the independence of the judiciary was often trampled on. "I'd rather be poor but honest than rich and a thief," he used to say. Iliescu, who spoke fluent English, French and Russian, was married with no children. His wife Nina was only seen in public when the couple went to the polls, once every four years. The government announced his death in a statement on Tuesday, after he was hospitalised with lung cancer in early June. It declared August 7 a day of national mourning in his memory.
France 24
6 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Ion Iliescu: democratic Romania's first president
The influential politician was last seen in public in 2017 when he was questioned by prosecutors. That probe related to his role in the violence during the fall of communism which led to more than 850 deaths and saw him face charges of crimes against humanity. Fallout with Ceausescu regime A communist party apparatchik born on March 3, 1930, Iliescu served as former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu's minister for youth. But in the 1970s he fell into disgrace and was marginalised. He rose to power during the December 1989 anti-communist uprising that toppled Ceausescu, under circumstances that remain unclear, becoming the self-appointed leader of the National Salvation Front, an interim governing body. Iliescu then won a landslide victory in the country's first democratic elections in May 1990. He was reelected for a four-year term in 1992, but was defeated at the polls in 1996, only to return to power in 2000 for a third term -- the most allowed by the Constitution. During this last term Romania joined NATO in 2004 and signed the European Union accession treaty, with membership becoming effective in 2007. The former Moscow University graduate was elected to Romania's Senate in 2004 but did not run in subsequent elections, arguing that a secondary role in politics was more appropriate for a man his age. He nonetheless continued to be revered by many Romanians, especially in impoverished rural regions. His advice still counted when his Social Democratic Party -- -- a successor to the National Salvation Front -- was faced with major decisions. "Iliescu was a man of dialogue and not a bit confrontational. He would rather try to convince people than give orders," sociologist Vasile Dancu, a fellow Social Democrat who knew Iliescu well, told AFP. He said "consensus" was one of the former president's favourite words. 'Canny politician' "He was an affable, well-read man, who knew how to flatter people but who could also be manipulative," a former French ambassador to Romania, Henri Paul, told AFP. "A canny politician through and through." Iliescu never disavowed his hardline leftist views and blasted the "bloodsucking" western countries and international financial institutions. Over the past two decades, Iliescu had faced charges of crimes against humanity over the violence during the fall of communism. In a separate case, he was also indicted over the decision to call in miners to crush student protests after his election in 1990. The crackdown brought widespread international condemnation. But due to legal wranglings, Iliescu has not stood trial in either case. Iliescu has denied any wrongdoing, at one point describing it as "a disgrace for Romania to indict the head of state who played a major part in its democratisation". Though he was one of the few top-ranking Romanian politicians not to be suspected of illicit enrichment, high-level corruption flourished during his terms in office and analysts said the independence of the judiciary was often trampled on. "I'd rather be poor but honest than rich and a thief," he used to say. Iliescu, who spoke fluent English, French and Russian, was married with no children. His wife Nina was only seen in public when the couple went to the polls, once every four years. The government announced his death in a statement on Tuesday, after he was hospitalised with lung cancer in early June. It declared August 7 a day of national mourning in his memory.
