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44-593: Emil Constantinescu ( Romanian pronunciation: [eˈmil konstantiˈnesku] ; born 19 November 1939) is a Romanian professor and politician, who served as the President of Romania , from 1996 to 2000. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989 , Constantinescu became a founding member and vice president of the Civic Alliance (AC). In addition, he also served as the acting president of

88-657: A PhD in Geology from the University of Bucharest and a Doctor of Sciences from Duke University, US. In 1963, he married Nadia Ileana, a lawyer, who was his colleague at the Faculty of Law in Bucharest. His father died in 1991 and his mother died at Elias Hospital on November 25, 2011. He went through all stages of his university career as an assistant and lecturer at the Faculty of Geology (1966–1990). Since 1991 onwards, he

132-532: A României. Așa să-mi ajute Dumnezeu! I solemnly swear that I will dedicate all my strength and the best of my ability for the spiritual and material welfare of the Romanian people, to abide by the Constitution and laws of the country, to defend democracy, the fundamental rights and freedoms of my fellow-citizens, Romania's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity. So help me God! Under

176-623: A limited extent. Emil Constantinescu was born on November 19, 1939, in Tighina, Ținutul Nistru, Kingdom of Romania, which today is named Bender and de facto part of Transnistria . His mother, Maria Georgeta Colceag, was born in Ploiești on April 24, 1916, and, after graduating from high school, was a student at the Bucharest Conservatory in the harp class, but gave up her career in music to follow her husband, Ion Constantinescu. He

220-545: A statement regarding the returning of the illegally confiscated properties during the years of the Socialist Republic of Romania to the original owners or their heirs. This first attempt in 1995 did not pass the vote in Parliament . The second attempt was successful, with the person suspended being Traian Băsescu , in office as of April 2007. He became the first president to successfully be suspended and also

264-734: A whole. After the Constitutional Court acknowledges the legality of the election, the Houses of Parliament meet in a joint session. The elected President takes the following oath of office, specified by article 82 of the Constitution : Romanian : Jur să-mi dăruiesc toată puterea și priceperea pentru propășirea spirituală și materială a poporului român, să respect Constituția și legile țării, să apăr democrația, drepturile și libertățile fundamentale ale cetățenilor, suveranitatea, independența, unitatea și integritatea teritorială

308-653: Is a call for a referendum of impeachment within no more than 30 days from the suspension. If the Senate and Chamber of Deputies , in joint session, accuse the president of high treason , the president is suspended from powers and duties by right. The accusations are judged by the High Court of Cassation and Justice . The incumbent president is dismissed by right if found guilty of high treason . The suspension and impeachment procedure has been implemented three times. The first time regarded President Ion Iliescu , following

352-763: Is a professor of Mineralogy at the University of Bucharest . He was also a visiting professor at Duke University in the United States between 1991 and 1992. He was elected vice-rector (1990–1992) and rector (1992–1996) of the University of Bucharest; president of the National Council of Rectors from Romania (1992–1996); member of the Permanent Committee of the Association of European Universities – CRE (1992–1993; 1994–1998); member of

396-505: Is funded mostly by the government. The Comenius University was established in 1919 with assistance from the more established University of Prague . It was meant to replace the former Elisabeth University, which had been located in Bratislava since 1912, as the latter had been forcefully disbanded in 1919 by Samuel Zoch , plenipotentiary župan of Slovakia, after Hungarian professors refused to take an oath of allegiance at that time in

440-708: The Comenius University in Bratislava; Charles University in Prague and University of São Paulo ; Arthur Bertrand Medal, awarded by the Academy of Sciences, Institut de France; medals awarded by the National Institute of Sciences and Arts of France, the University of Paris–Sorbonne and the University of Amsterdam . After the fall of the communist dictatorship, he engaged along with other university colleagues and renowned Romanian intellectuals in

484-772: The Communist era , the president was elected for a five-year term by the Great National Assembly (GNA) on the recommendation of the Romanian Communist Party 's Central Committee and the Front of Socialist Unity and Democracy , with no term limits. Ceaușescu was the only holder of the office under this system; he was elected by the GNA in 1974 and reelected in 1980 and 1985, each time unopposed. The president continued to serve as ex officio president of

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528-864: The Democratic Romanian Anti-Totalitarian Forum , the first associative structure of the democratic opposition in post-1989 Romania, which was later transformed into a centre-right political and electoral alliance known as the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). He had also subsequently presided the People's Action (AP) party from the early 2000s until it merged into the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 2008. Nowadays, Constantinescu remains involved in Romanian politics solely to

572-581: The European Union (EU) three years later, in 2007, alongside Bulgaria . The former president returned to the political scene in 2002 as head of the People's Action (AP; Acţiunea Populară ) party, which subsequently merged within the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 2008. Constantinescu had occasionally criticized the policies of the 2004–2014 president, Traian Băsescu , accusing him of authoritarian tendencies, and supported Crin Antonescu in

616-651: The First Czechoslovak Republic . This had caused the majority of the university's professors (and some of the students) to take refuge in Budapest , where the Elisabeth University was re-established . It was later moved to Pécs and renamed to University of Pécs . This persecution of former (predominantly Hungarian) pillars of education in Bratislava necessitated the recruitment of Czech academicians. Therefore, many professors of

660-634: The Mineriads , a reform of the banking system as well as with the attraction of the first major foreign investments in Romania after 1989. With dashed expectations of an immediate improvement in daily life, Romanians exhibited strong disillusionment with the major parties and politicians of the CDR at the end of the 1996–2000 legislature, with the Greater Romania Party (PRM) subsequently gaining

704-810: The National Geographic Society of the USA. He gave lectures at the Universities of Tübingen, Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley, Columbia – New York, Georgetown – Washington, Indiana – Bloomington, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Prague, Turku, Cairo, Lublin. He was awarded the Romanian Academy Award for scientific contributions in the field of geology (1980); Palmas Academicas, awarded by the Brazilian Academy of Letters , Rio de Janeiro (2000); gold and honorary medals of

748-582: The Oslo Freedom Forum , in 2010 he presented the OFF with a presidential medal. He is also a member of the international advisory council of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation . President of Romania The president of Romania ( Romanian : Președintele României ) is the head of state of Romania . They are directly elected by a two-round system , and, following a modification to

792-557: The Romanian Constitution in 2003, serve for five years. An individual may serve two terms that may be consecutive. During their term in office, the president may not be a formal member of a political party . The president of Romania is the supreme commander of the Romanian Armed Forces . The office of president was created in 1974, when communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu elevated the presidency of

836-482: The State Council to a fully fledged executive presidency. It took its current form in stages after the Romanian Revolution , culminating in the adoption of Romania's current constitution in 1991. Klaus Iohannis is the incumbent president since his inauguration on 21 December 2014. Iohannis is of full Transylvanian Saxon ethnicity/descent, making him the first president from Romania's German minority . In

880-566: The State Council , and had the right to act on any matter that did not require a State Council plenum . He also appointed and dismissed ministers and heads of central agencies. When the GNA was not in session (in practice, for most of the year), the president could appoint and dismiss the president of the Supreme Court and the prosecutor general without State Council's approval; indeed, he was not even required to consult his State Council colleagues when making such decisions. Ceaușescu created

924-515: The humanities and social sciences , also educated much-needed teachers for Slovakia's high schools . In 1937, a new university building for the Faculties of Law and Philosophy was opened in the centre of Bratislava. The building includes the Aula (hall), used for graduation ceremonies and other formal functions. During World War II , Slovakia became nominally a republic but was actually under

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968-545: The 1991 Constitution, which was amended in 2003, presidential powers were curtailed in contrast to communist Romania; the office continues to wield significant influence within a semi-presidential system of government. The president's duties are set out in Title III, Chapter II of the Constitution . These are not exclusive, and are supplemented by other constitutional and legal provisions. In home affairs: In foreign affairs: In defence issues: Other duties: In

1012-694: The International Association of University Presidents – IAUP (1994–1996). He is the author of 12 books and over 60 studies in the field of geology, published in prestigious scientific journals in the country and abroad. He is also Honorary Member and Elected Member of the Geological and Mineralogical Societies of the United Kingdom , Germany , US, Greece , and Japan ; of the Geographical Society of France and

1056-636: The duration of the ad interim term. An ad interim president cannot address the Parliament , dissolve the Parliament, nor call for a referendum (the impeachment referendum after a motion of suspension is called by Parliament). The vacancy of the office cannot be longer than three months. While the president is suspended, the office is not considered vacant. Comenius University In 2020, Comenius University had more about 23,000 students and 2,500 faculty members. As are most universities in Slovakia, it

1100-409: The effort to re-democratize Romania, in the defense of fundamental human rights and freedoms as well as in the establishment of the civil society. He was one of the personalities who protested against the anti-democratic actions of the new authorities during a 42-day rally, between April and May 1990, in Bucharest's University Square. After the bloody violence committed by the miners who, at the call of

1144-487: The exercise of his functions, the president issues decrees. Decrees issued under Article 91 (1) and (2), Article 92 (2) and (3), Article 93 (1), and Article 94 a), b) and d) of the Constitution must be countersigned by the Prime Minister in order to take effect. An incumbent president who severely violates the Constitution may be suspended by the Parliament in joint session. If the suspension motion passes, there

1188-569: The first round of the 2009 presidential elections . Nowadays, he still remains heavily involved in politics through working for many NGOs, both in Romania and internationally. Emil Constantinescu is the current president of the Association of Citizenship Education, of the Romanian Foundation for Democracy and also the founding president of the Institute for Regional Cooperation and Conflict Prevention (INCOR). A frequent speaker at

1232-468: The first to face an impeachment vote before the people, regarding issues with supposed unconstitutional acts . The impeachment plebiscite was held on 19 May 2007 , and Băsescu survived the impeachment attempt. The result was the rejection of the proposal by 24.94% in favor to 75.06% opposed. The third attempt lead to a second successful suspension in July 2012, again against Traian Băsescu . The referendum

1276-516: The ineffective implementation of the processes of privatization , which, bogged down by excessive bureaucracy, increased unemployment and poverty in the short term. After another two Mineriads which took place in 1999 (one in January and the other in February ), culminating with the arrest of Miron Cozma , the remainder of his term suffered a political crisis between the majority parties that, at

1320-499: The newly established university, including its first rector, Prof. MUDr. Kristian Hynek , were Czechs, since Slovakia at that time did not have enough educated Slovak speakers who could serve as faculty members. In spite of personnel, financial, and space difficulties, the university developed research and teaching programs. The Faculty of Medicine opened in 1919, and was quickly followed by the Faculties of Law and Philosophy in 1921. The Faculty of Philosophy, besides offering programs in

1364-546: The office in order to make himself chief decision-maker in both name and fact. Previously, he had nominally been first among equals on the State Council, deriving his real power from his leadership of the Communist Party. In practice, he used his power to act on all matters that did not require a plenum to rule by decree. Over time, he also usurped many powers that constitutionally belonged to the State Council as

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1408-541: The office of the president become vacant due to resignation, impeachment, permanent inability to perform the duties of office, or death while in office, the president of the Senate or the president of the Chamber of Deputies , in that order, step in as Ad Interim President of Romania ( Romanian : Președinte Interimar al României ). Neither relinquish their position as president of their respective Legislative House for

1452-638: The opposition democratic parties and together formed the Romanian Democratic Convention (or CDR for short) in 1991. At the proposal of the Academic Solidarity, supported by the Civic Alliance (PAC), Emil Constantinescu was designated the CDR candidate in the presidential elections of 1992 . He entered the second round and obtained 38% of the votes in the confrontation with then incumbent president Ion Iliescu who

1496-550: The presidency as the CDR's candidate and managed to defeat Iliescu in the second round, securing a victory by a margin of roughly 10%. CDR's success in the 1996 general election marked the first peaceful transition of power in post-1989 Romania. On the day he took office, he suspended his membership from the PNȚ-CD, as the Constitution precludes a president holding formal membership of a political party during his term(s). Throughout his sole four-year term, Constantinescu struggled with

1540-693: The same year he enrolled at the Faculty of Law of the University Bucharest. He obtained a Diploma in Legal Sciences in 1960 and after completing his military internship in Piatra Neamț, he began his work as a trainee judge at the Pitesti Regional Court, economic section. The political climate causes him to give up this position and become a student at the Faculty of Geology – Geography, between 1961 and 1966. He holds

1584-519: The second place in the 2000 legislative election . A disenchanted Emil Constantinescu, who lost popularity and had failed to fulfil his reformist agenda announced on 17 July 2000 that he would not run for a second term. He temporarily withdrew from political life at the end of his term in November 2000. Constantinescu's direction in foreign affairs continued however after the comeback of Ion Iliescu in 2000. Eventually, Romania joined NATO in 2004 and

1628-532: The sway of Nazi Germany . The government reduced academic freedoms at the university, and the Czech professors were forced out. The university was renamed Slovak University in 1939, though the original name was reinstated in 1954. The Faculty of Science opened in 1940 and the Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology was established in 1941. Academic freedom returned after the end of the war in 1945 but

1672-528: The then president Ion Iliescu, invaded Bucharest in June 1990, he founded, together with his colleagues, professors, and students, the association Solidaritatea Universitară (i.e. Academic Solidarity ). He was also a founding member and vice-president of the Civic Alliance (1990), the most important non-governmental organization in the country, and president of the Civic Academy. These associations joined

1716-634: The time, formed the governing coalition (i.e. CDR, PD, PSDR, and UDMR/RMDSZ). The country was further damaged by a drought in 2000. At the end of his term in 2000, he decided not to run for re-election, stating that the system had defeated him. One of the last gestures made as president of Romania was the pardon of Ion Coman, the one who had led the repression of the 1989 revolution in Timișoara . Constantinescu's presidency along with CDR's governance were marred by an economic recession. Despite this, his presidency has been eventually credited with putting an end to

1760-506: The university created a democratic self-government, and mandatory courses on Marxist ideology were abolished. The Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology and the Evangelical Theological Faculty joined the university. The transformation of Slovakia into a market economy created a need for professionals in management and financial sciences. As a result, the university established the Faculty of Management (1991) and

1804-607: Was again cancelled in 1948 as the communists took power in Czechoslovakia , enforcing the ideology of Marxism-Leninism at Czechoslovak universities. The Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology was taken under direct control of the Ministry of Education. However, the university continued to grow, and new faculties were established (mostly by splitting the existing faculties): After the Velvet Revolution in 1989,

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1848-574: Was held on 29 July 2012, and the results were 88.7% in favor and 11.3% opposed, with voter turnout calculated to be 46.24%; below the 50% + one vote threshold required at the time the referendum was held. The Constitutional Court did not give a verdict on the validation of the referendum at the time, citing irregularities in the permanent electoral lists. On 21 August, the Court deemed the referendum invalid, and again Băsescu prevailed from being ousted. Should

1892-632: Was originally from Oltenia, he had 8 brothers, and after becoming an agronomist engineer, he was assigned to Bessarabia. The Constantinescu family took refuge in 1943 in Brădetu village, Argeș County where Emil Constantinescu spent his childhood. His sister, Marina, was born in 1942, and in 1946, his brother, Cristian, was born. In the period 1953–1956 Emil Constantinescu was a student of the "Nicolae Bălcescu" High School in Pitești (currently Colegiu IC Bratianu) and obtained his Matriculation Diploma on July 19, 1956, in

1936-456: Was supported by the Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN). After this first important political experience, the CDR elected, in 1992, its president and sole candidate for the presidential elections of 1996 (which was represented by Constantinescu). He continued to act to strengthen the democratic opposition throughout this period of time from 1992 until 1996, alongside other notable CDR political leaders. In 1996, he competed once again for

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