Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Iliescu in 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 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 Front of National Salvation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 March 1930 Oltenița, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 5 August 2025 (aged 95) Bucharest, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Social Democratic Party (2004–2025) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Alma mater | Bucharest Polytechnic Institute Moscow State University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Known for | Romanian Revolution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | None (atheist) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ion Iliescu (Romanian pronunciation: [iˈon iliˈesku] ⓘ; 3 March 1930 – 5 August 2025) was a Romanian politician and engineer who served as the first and the third President of Romania since the country's transition to democracy. He occupied the office from 1990 until 1996 and again from 2000 until 2004. Iliescu was also a senator for the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which he founded and where he became the honorary president for the rest of his life.
Iliescu joined the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) in 1953 and became a member of its Central Committee in 1965. Beginning with 1971, he was gradually marginalised by Nicolae Ceaușescu. He had a leading role in the Romanian Revolution, becoming the country's president in December 1989. In May 1990, he became Romania's first freely elected head of state. After a new constitution was approved by popular referendum, he served a further two terms, firstly from 1992 to 1996 and then secondly from 2000 to 2004, separated by the presidency of Emil Constantinescu, who defeated him in 1996.
In 2004, during his presidency, Romania joined NATO. In April 2018, Iliescu was charged in Romania with committing crimes against humanity by "approving military measures, some of which had an evidently diversionary character" during the deadly aftermath of the country's 1989 revolution. In 2020, a judge rejected the case due to irregularities in the indictment. The indictment was remade; in 2023, the Court of Appeals approved a trial for it. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living person to have been the Romanian president.