Updated: 6 August 2025 la 01:18. Articolul a fost revizuit pentru a reflecta informațiile disponibile la această dată.
Ion Iliescu, Romania’s first post-communist president, died at the age of 95 on the afternoon of 5 August 2025, at 3:55 p.m., at the SRI Hospital in Bucharest. The news prompted strong reactions among political leaders and across society.
For further information, see Ion Iliescu’s emergency admission to the intensive care unit, an article that explores an aspect directly related to this subject.
- Place of death: SRI Hospital, Bucharest
- Age: 95
- Date of death: 5 August 2025
- Time: 3:55 p.m.
Final days: Medical complications and complete isolation
According to the medical team at the SRI Hospital, Ion Iliescu was admitted in serious condition, suffering from:
- congestive heart failure
- severe hypertension
- chronic kidney failure
- repeated bouts of confusion and exhaustion
“He was conscious until his final hours. We did everything humanly possible, but his body could no longer endure.” — medical source speaking on condition of anonymity
His wife, Nina Iliescu, remained by his side until the final moment, in a small and discreet circle.
Emotional statements from those close to him
“He was a political father figure for our generation. Despite all his mistakes and controversial decisions, he remained faithful to the idea of stability.” — former party colleague
“He told me: ‘I did what I could for the country. It is time for me to leave.’” — account from a person close to him
Reactions from the political arena
Marcel Ciolacu (PSD): “Ion Iliescu wrote the history of modern Romania. Every page has its meaning, whether illuminated or shadowed.”
President Klaus Iohannis: “We offer our condolences to the family. He was a prominent figure in the post-communist transition.”
Public reactions reflect a divided Romania—between respect and criticism, gratitude and unforgiveness.
The controversies that defined an era
Ion Iliescu was involved in the most significant moments of modern Romania:
- the 1989 Revolution
- the 1990 elections
- the Mineriads (1990, 1991, 1999)
- Romania’s accession to NATO (2004)
But also:
- criticism over the suppression of protests in University Square
- the trial in the “Revolution Case” — never concluded
Funeral with military honours and national mourning
The government announced the declaration of a day of national mourning. The coffin will most likely lie in state at the Romanian Academy or the Cotroceni Palace.
“We honour the memory of a former head of state. History will ultimately determine the true scale of his legacy.” — government official
Ion Iliescu’s last public message
In a written message in 2022, the former president said:
“Democracy must be defended every day. Romania must preserve its sovereignty and unity. Young people must believe in the future.”
Ion Iliescu’s legacy: A Romania between worlds
Ion Iliescu remains a symbol of Romania’s transition:
- a guarantor of stability in a chaotic period
- for others, a keeper of the shadows of the communist regime
With three presidential terms and major influence over the country’s political direction, Ion Iliescu shaped modern Romanian history more than any other post-1989 leader.
