Klaus Iohannis

Klaus Iohannis

Klaus Werner Iohannis (also spelled Johannis; born June 13, 1959, in Sibiu) is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008. Iohannis is widely credited with turning his city into one of Romania's most popular tourist destinations, and the city was declared as European Capital of Culture in 2007.

In October 2009, four of the five political groups in the Parliament (except the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL)) proposed him as candidate for the office of Prime Minister of Romania; however, President Traian Băsescu refused to nominate him. Băsescu instead designated the independent Lucian Croitoru. The opposition, which has a majority in the Parliament, continued to support Iohannis as Prime Minister, and on October 21, the Parliament adopted a declaration asking for Croitoru's withdrawal and vowing support for Iohannis. Croitoru subsequently lost the confirmation in the parliament, and Băsescu then designated Liviu Negoiţă (PDL), who failed to receive a parliamentary vote. After the first round of 2009 Romanian Presidential elections, the National Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party signed a political agreement, which in particular mentioned continued support for Iohannis as their candidate for Prime Minister if Social Democrat Mircea Geoana wins the second round. This is supported also by the political group of national minorities in Romania’s Parliament.

Iohannis is a Transylvanian Saxon by ethnicity, and as such a member of the oldest of the groups among Romania's German minority, which settled in Transylvania (then part of the historic Kingdom of Hungary) in the 12th century. He is a physics teacher by professional background.