Died 2025-08-05.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #death

Figure timeline
Ion Iliescu was a Romanian politician and engineer who served as the first and third President of Romania since the country's transition to democracy, from 1990 to 1996 and 2000 to 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.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
culture · President of Romania (1990–1996; 2000–2004) · engineer · politician · revolutionary · non-fiction writer · propagandist · activist · design engineer · writer · also Ion Iliescu, Iliescu
Born 3 March 1930 · Died 5 August 2025 · Q189575
48 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
11 photos · 1 audio
Listen
Ro-Ion Iliescu
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
Died 2025-08-05.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Court of Appeals approved a trial for it
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
A judge rejected the case due to irregularities in the indictment
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The case was ordered to be re-examined by the interim General Prosecutor
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
A previously closed legal case regarding crimes against humanity committed by the interim government headed by Iliescu during the Romanian Revolution was reopened
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
After 26 years of prolonged investigation, the authorities concluded that there was no evidence with which they could prosecute
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
When the Military Prosecutor's Section within the Prosecutor's Office and the Justice Office reopened investigations into the Mineriad protests, accusing Iliescu, along with other accused perpetrators, of coordinating a
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Appeared in a scene in the film Medalia de onoare ("Medal of Honour")
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
A position without official executive authority in the party
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Were shortly dropped, until 2014 when the European Court of Human Rights found Iliescu's lack of investigation into the events of Mineriad to be in violation of human rights to life, freedom from inhumane, and degrading
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Independence Order presented by Ilham Aliyev (2004).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Knight of the Order of the Elephant (2004).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: member of the Senate of Romania (2004–2008).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
But won a four-year Senate mandate in the general election, as so in 1996, when he failed to be re-elected
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
During his presidency, Romania joined NATO and negotiations to join the EU intensified
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Speech at the 59th UN General Assembly session”
Awarded Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2003).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit (2003).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Awarded Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross presented by Rudolf Schuster (2002).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Speech at the 56th UN General Assembly session”
Career landmark: president of Romania (2000–2004).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
To 18 years in prison in conjunction with the September 1991 Mineriad
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
After Iliescu's defeat by Emil Constantinescu, the Romanian Government restored Michael's citizenship and again allowed him to visit the country
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Won Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1996).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: member of the Senate of Romania (1996–2000).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
But, stripped of media monopoly, he lost in the second round to Emil Constantinescu, his second-round opponent in 1992
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Speech at the 50th UN General Assembly session”
“Speech at the 49th session of the UN General Assembly”
Three years after the revolution which overthrew the Communist dictatorship, the Romanian government allowed King Michael I to return to his country for Easter celebrations, where he drew large crowds
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Iliescu won a second term when he received 61% of the vote in the second round
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: president of Romania (1990–1996).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: president of Romania (1989–1990).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Securitate (secret police) kept a closer watch on him, as he was openly in opposition to Ceaușescu's rule while serving on the Committee
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: chairperson of Iași County Council (1974–1979).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Was pressured to resign from this job, since Ceaușescu did not fully trust him and believed that Iliescu would be his successor
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career landmark: council member (1971–1974).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
And later elected to the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party in 1965
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
And became a member of its Central Committee in 1965
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
When they were both 18-year old students, he at the Saint Sava High School and she at the Iulia Hasdeu High School, in Bucharest
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
And the Communist Party in 1953, becoming a career politician from that point forward
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Was adopted by his aunt Aristița, a cook at the residence of communist activist Ana Pauker, who helped him study in the Soviet Union
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ion Iliescu was raised by his paternal grandparents and stepmother, and in 1939 he was adopted by his aunt Aristița, a cook at the residence of communist activist Ana Pauker, who helped him study in the Soviet Union.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Was arrested for his political activism, which was considered subversive
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Represented the party at the 5th PCR Congress held in Gorikovo, near Moscow, but did not return to Romania until 1935
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Born 1930-03-03.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ion Iliescu was born on 3 March 1930 in Oltenița, a city in the Muntenia region of the Kingdom of Romania.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
He was the son of Alexandru Iliescu (1901–1945) and Maria Dumitru Toma.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Around 1895, he settled in Oltenița and changed his name to Iliescu.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Connections