Klaus Iohannis exits the race for the NATO leadership through the back door, with his tail between his legs and, since he did not secure any future top job within the EU configuration, it is likely that from this moment on, the President of Romania is heading towards a steep decline.
The candidacy for the NATO leadership was an adventure, and I have the bitter satisfaction of being the first and for a long time the only one convinced that, despite logic and even common sense, there was nothing behind the movement, no guarantees, no negotiations with allies, only the encouragements of the cronies he appointed based solely on obedience criteria within ministries and embassies.
They were the only ones who encouraged him to move forward, despite the evidence and to the annoyance of allies who did not need the antics of a leader in a minor key with a war at the border.
He entered the race for his own privileges that he cannot detach from, and he exited as an individual, without having obtained anything for Romania, although he always claimed to be a candidate on behalf of Romania.
Erdogan, Orban, Pellegrini sided with Mark Rutte in exchange for certain and public advantages for their countries, negotiated even with the help of Klaus Iohannis' candidacy, which allowed them to raise the stakes. What did Romania obtain? Nothing.
It was not Romania that the NATO leaders did not want, but Klaus Iohannis. Why did neither the NATO leaders nor the EU leaders seem to want Klaus Iohannis? Because he has no remarkable qualities, because he is mediocre and egocentric, because he lacks vision and has nothing to offer.
When Ursula von der Leyen presented in an electoral clip the leaders of the EPP from various countries, she mentioned about Prime Minister Plenkovic that he took Croatia into Schengen and the euro zone, about Prime Minister Mitsotakis that he pulled Greece out of the economic swamp, and about Klaus Iohannis that he has been the president for 10 years and is a good European, which is what you say minimally when you have nothing else remarkable to mention.
But yes, the reality is that this mediocre egocentric has been the president of Romania for 10 years, the beneficiary of a huge capital of trust and hope, of which he made a continuous mockery in his absence.
What does Klaus Iohannis leave behind after 10 years?
Let's look around. He leaves behind a political class incomparably worse than when he became president. Unable to tolerate competition, unwilling to be disturbed, valuing blind obedience far above initiative and provocative intelligence, Mr. Iohannis promoted, with very few almost miraculous exceptions, almost only nullities in all positions of power, starting of course with his own party, which has become a caricature. And the nullities promoted other nullities throughout the administration.
In foreign policy, we are mediocre, in the pack, without nerve and initiative, except for eccentric movements in the personal interest of the president, which have concentrated Romania's diplomatic energies, whatever remains of them, far beyond national interests.
Justice has collapsed. The justice laws are worse than the previous ones, a performance; the legislation in general, enacted by Mr. Iohannis, is full of absurdities and contradictions, and marionettes without character and competence, sometimes even blackmail-able, have been promoted to leadership positions.
Education also has laws worse than the previous ones, laws dedicated to interest groups, not to students, functional illiteracy has become the hallmark of this country.
Due to lack of opportunities and full of weariness, Romanians have left the country in droves during Iohannis' mandate. The largest exodus in peacetime. And examples can continue in all areas.
The brand of Iohannis' mandate is Romania failed, as he himself defined the country. Why would NATO and the EU want him? What is Mr. Iohannis good for? For nothing. And he deserves nothing.