Romania’s outgoing centrist president, Klaus Iohannis, resigned on Monday as opposition hard-right parliamentary parties planned to have him impeached.

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis has resigned following pressure for him to step down ahead of a re-run of a presidential election that was controversially cancelled last year. The December vote was voided by Romania's top court after allegations of Russian state meddling.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has announced his resignation following mounting pressure from populist opposition groups.

Romania's outgoing centrist President Klaus Iohannis resigned from his post on Monday ahead of a plan by opposition hard-right parliamentary parties to have him impeached. Romania's top court said Iohannis,

Romania’s top court cancelled the presidential elections in December amid allegations of Russian meddling and after a far-right candidate won.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has resigned after parliament initiated impeachment proceedings against him. He said on Monday that he wanted to spare his country a political crisis, because under Romania's constitution an impeachment must be followed by a recall referendum.

MPs had launched a procedure to suspend Klaus Iohannis. 'In order to spare Romania and the Romanian citizens from crisis (...) I resign from the office of president of Romania,' he said.

His exit comes as political opponents had sought to remove him over remaining in office beyond the end of his term.

Romania’s outgoing president resigned in an effort to defuse political tension after a high court decision to annul a shock election result last year extended his tenure in office.