BUCHAREST, Romania — After over a decade in office, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stepped down on Wednesday and has been replaced by the senate president who will serve in an interim capacity until a new presidential election is held in spring.

One Romanian political analyst says President Klaus Iohannis' decision to resign means "the populists can say they won."

His exit comes as political opponents had sought to remove him over remaining in office beyond the end of his term.

Romania’s outgoing president resigned in an effort to defuse political tension after a high court decision to annul a shock election result last year extended his tenure in office.

Romania's outgoing centrist president Klaus Iohannis resigned on Monday to pre-empt an impeachment bid by opposition parties in parliament, with voters highly polarized and the far-right graining ground ahead of a repeat presidential election in May.