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Ion Iliescu

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World Leader

The Resume

    (March 3, 1930- )
    Born in Oltenita, Romania
    Member of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (1965-84)
    Minister for Youth Issues (1967-71)
    President of Romania (1990-96,2000-04)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was rumored (though never proven) to be a KGB agent.
    He responded to student protests against the government by inviting in miners, who trashed the University of Bucharest and the offices of opposition newspapers (June, 1990).
    He was widely accused of delaying economic reforms and retaining as much of the Communist system as possible during his first stint as president.
    He allowed the CIA to torture prisoners at 'black sites' in Romania.
    Before leaving office the second time, he controversially pardoned a large number of people who had been convicted of corruption.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He has been married to Elena Serbanescu for over 60 years.
    He was removed from all major political offices and tailed by the secret police after criticizing Nicolae Ceausescu's policies (1971).
    He showed a greater commitment to democracy and economic reform during his second stint as president.
    He was the first Romanian leader to participate in the Jewish community's annual commemoration of the Holocaust.
    He led Romania into membership in NATO (2004).
    A Romanian writer declared, 'Iliescu has a sense of humor, a rare thing among Romanians.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 150 Votes: 64.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 155 Votes: 61.29% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 30 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying