Description: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has resigned its post citing avoidance of potential political crisis in the country, amid his impeachment by the Romanian Parliament. He had already served its two projected tenures, but his presidency was continued due to the cancelled elections which saw controversial ultranationalist Calin Georgescu substantially leading the polls. A latter probe into the unexpected surge in popularity discovered a digital sleeper cell which had been connected with Russian intelligence services to have propped Georgescu to win the elections. In the interim, the Romanian Senate Chief would hold the Presidential function awaiting the proposed May elections. The current state of affairs was also further instigated by protests from ultranationalist parties such as the Party of Young People (POT), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), and Save Romania Union (USR) which opposed Calin Georgescu’s disqualification from the elections.
Impact: The upcoming political crisis in Romania is extensively deepened with the stepping down of President Klaus Iohannis. The ultranationalist influence in the country evidently supported by Russia has plunged Romania in what is expecting to be a prolonged political crisis. Evidence of election meddling attest to Russian influence as Romania could be swayed away from its European perspective. Russian covert operations are expected to rise with disinformation campaigns topping the lists. The European Union should immediately intersect these operations within EU members as growing crises in Slovakia, Serbia could dislodge future efforts for stability and undermine EU’s support for Ukraine.