Background

Ion Iliescu was born on September 13, 1930, in Teslui, Romania. He became active in politics at the end of World War II and was part of the Communist Party. Iliescu was the president of Romania from 1989 to 1996, and again from 2000 to 2004.

The divisive legacy

During his time as president, Ion Iliescu was responsible for many controversial decisions that polarized public opinion in Romania. One of the most notable actions was his involvement in the Mineriad street violence that occurred in June 1990. This event led to the dissolution of the National Salvation Front (NSF) government and ultimately resulted in Iliescu resigning from his presidency.

The years following

However, Ion Iliescu returned to power after a new election in 1992 and served until 1996. During his second term, he focused on economic reforms and improving relationships with other European countries, particularly those in the region.

Post-presidency

After leaving office in 1996, Iliescu remained an influential figure in Romanian politics. He founded the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in 2001 and later returned to the presidency, this time as an interim leader after the overthrow of the Adrian Năstase government in 2004.