Ilie Gavril Bolojan (Romanian: [iˈli.e boloˈʒan]; born 17 March 1969) is a Romanian politician serving as the acting president of Romania since 12 February 2025, following the resignation of Klaus Iohannis. He previously was the mayor of Oradea, and the president of the Bihor County Council. Following the National Liberal Party's defeat in the first round of the now-annulled 2024 Romanian presidential election, and the subsequent resignation of Nicolae Ciucă, Bolojan became the party's acting president and was elected president of the Senate of Romania.[1] On February 12, 2025, following the resignation of Klaus Iohannis, Bolojan became the acting president of Romania until the elections in May 2025.
Early life and career
Ilie Bolojan graduated from the Emanuil Gojdu Mathematics-Physics High School in Oradea and studied mechanics (1988–1993) at the Traian Vuia Polytechnic Institute in Timișoara and mathematics (1990–1993) at the West University of Timișoara.[2] He became a member of the National Liberal Party (PNL) in 1993. During 1993–1994, he was a teacher at the Tileagd Auxiliary School.
Between 1996 and 2004, Ilie Bolojan was a local councilor of the town of Aleșd, and from 2004 a member of the Bihor County Council. In 2005 and 2006, he attended specialization courses in public administration in France and at the National Institute of Administration in Bucharest.
In the period 2005–2007, he was comissioner (prefect) of Bihor County, and in the period 2007–2008 he held the position of secretary general of the Government.
He is unrelated to Victor Bolojan, a high-ranking communist politician and diplomat.[3]
Political career
Mayor of Oradea
In 2008, Bolojan was elected mayor of the municipality of Oradea with 50.3% of the votes, becoming the first mayor of the city elected in the first round after 1989. He started a program of administrative and economic reforms, modernizing the infrastructure, rehabilitating the historic center and attracting investors, thus Oradea became more attractive from an economic and tourist point of view.[4][5] In 2012 and 2016, Bolojan was re-elected mayor, and in 2016 he obtained 70.95% of the votes.[6][7]
President of the Bihor County Council
In 2020, Bolojan was elected president of the Bihor County Council with 61.5% of the votes.[8] He continued to promote infrastructural development and investment attraction projects for the county, improving public services and creating a more efficient and transparent administrative system.[9][10][11]
President of the Senate
Following the December 2024 parliamentary elections, Bolojan became a member of the Romanian Senate, and on December 23, 2024, he was chosen as the president of the Senate of Romania.[1]
Acting presidency (2025–present)
Following the resignation of Klaus Iohannis on 12 February 2025, Bolojan became acting president in accordance with the presidential succession laws. He is expected to serve until a new president is chosen in the 2025 Romanian presidential election in May.[12]
During the handover ceremony, Iohannis greeted Bolojan at Cotroceni Palace and held a brief meeting.[13]
References
- ^ a b "Ilie Bolojan a fost ales președinte al Senatului. Ciprian Șerban, șef la Camera Deputaților".
- ^ "Cine este Ilie Bolojan, președintele interimar al României pentru 100 de zile: A avut o ascensiune fulminantă, la 38 de ani devenind secretarul general al Guvernului, după care a decis să se retragă în Oradea pe măsură ce influența lui Iohannis a crescut". Ziarul Financiar (in Romanian). 12 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Ilie Bolojan: Secrete din campanie. Note pentru Ciucă & Iohannis. Soluții magice, servicii și tăieri". YouTube. 19 November 2024.
- ^ "Ilie Bolojan renunță să mai candideze la Primăria Oradea, după ce a condus orașul timp de 12 ani" (in Romanian). digi24.ro. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "Banca Mondiala: Oradea este un oras magnet. Ce-i atrage pe turisti si pe investitori tot mai mult la noi" (in Romanian). InfoOradea – Stiri și informatii din Oradea. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "Ilie Bolojan a obtinut un nou mandat de primar. PNL are majoritate absoluta si in Consiliul Local". 5 June 2016.
- ^ "Ilie Bolojan a acceptat propunerea PNL de a fi premier dacă Nicolae Ciucă și PNL vor câștiga alegerile" (in Romanian). adevarul.ro. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "ALEGERI LOCALE 2020 – REZULTATE FINALE. Verifică LISTA aleșilor locali pentru fiecare județ". realitatea.net. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ Adrian Criș (27 October 2020). "Ilie Bolojan dă afară jumătate din angajații Consiliului Județean Bihor. Unii nici nu aveau loc prin birouri (VIDEO)". ebihoreanul.ro. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Cum colaborează Ilie Bolojan cu primarul municipiului Oradea, Florin Birta: Proiect pentru crearea a cinci culoare de trafic, prin realizarea unor șosele noi și modernizarea unora existente, prin Oradea, precum și spre Oradea din Zona Metropolitană" (in Romanian). G4Media.ro. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ R.M. (28 October 2020). "Ilie Bolojan dă afară jumătate din angajații Consiliului Județean Bihor: Structuri întregi fără obiect de activitate, direcții care au fost scoase din aparatul propriu pentru a li se pierde urma". hotnews.ro.
- ^ "Romania's Iohannis steps down, leaving caretaker president in charge until election rerun in spring". AP News. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Ilie Bolojan takes over as Romania's interim president". Xinhua. 12 February 2025.
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