President Iohannis to attend 'The State of the Union' conference in Florence as special guest

President Klaus Iohannis will be attending today a conference called "The State of the Union" to be hosted by the European University Institute in Florence, as a special guest. 

On the side-lines of the conference, Iohannis is expected to meet Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, according to the Presidential Administration. 

The participation of the Romanian head of state in the "The State of the Union" conference takes place amidst Romania's holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union, hosting a summit in Sibiu, and on the occasion of the anniversary of Romania's accession to the Convention on the Establishment of the European University Institute in Florence. 

While in Florence, Iohannis will lay a wreath on the commemorative plaque dedicated to 19th century Romanian ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, located next to the residence where the ruler spent the last years of his life. 

This year in its 9th edition, "The State of the Union" conference is centred on democracy in the 21st century in Europe, focusing on the European electoral context. European political leaders, journalists, academics and civil society leaders will debate a range of topical issues that regard both the challenges facing the European Union and the prospects for a stronger union, adapted and prepared for the aspirations of future generations. 

"The State of the Union" conference is a prestigious event in the field of European affairs becoming a forum of reference on the agenda of European decision-makers, attended regularly by heads of state or government, leaders of EU institutions, as well as academic and cultural personalities. 

The European University Institute in Florence is a well-established European academic institution that has been contributing over time to the development of the European integration process through academic research and educational programmes at the highest level.