President Iohannis: The scenario of early elections must be clarified in the Constitution

President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday that the issue of revising the Constitution is "very sensitive", noting that there are issues that needed to be clarified in the fundamental law, such as the "early election scenario."

"It is a very important, very sensitive topic, but at the same time extremely attractive for all kinds of scenarios and all kinds of interpretations. Until we have something written, a draft - we are working in Parliament for a special committee - it is difficult to comment, but if you ask me directly: yes, there are issues that I think we need to clarify in the Constitution. Please recall the scenario of early elections was put forth, but the notion doesn't even exist in the Constitution. So, we must clarify how, when and who dissolves Parliament, what early elections mean," Iohannis said.

The head of state said that there are some technical matters provided for in the Constitution, which in practice don't function anymore.

"I'll give an example. An interim minister can stay for 45 days. But if the crisis lasts 145 days, what do we do? We remain without a Government, we remain without ministers? It's absurd. Such things have happened and we have drawn the conclusions which should lead to improvements in the Constitution's text. Even the position of the President. The discussion exists since we escaped communism and the discussion is: we want a President elected by the people, with vast powers, or do we want a President elected by Parliament, that has a position which is more for protocol. There are arguments for and against both. For the moment the situation is the one we're in: the President is elected directly, has the attributes he has," Klaus Iohannis added.

He mentioned that this subject "will not be finalized through the media or through TV or even social networks," but "through deep political discussions between the formations that represent Romanians in Parliament."

"The discussion, I'll tell you right now, is a very complicated one, it's one that will lead to a lot of discord in the public space, if it is not approached with maximum responsibility. So, in principle, yes, I believe that the Constitution needs some changes and yes, it's necessary to have careful discussions with finality, targeted towards making the state function better," said the head of state.

President Klaus Iohannis paid a visit to the Colentina Clinical Hospital on the occasion of International Nurses' Day.