Romania: Presidential Elections Cancelled By Constitutional Court

By Charles Szumski

(EurActiv) — Romania’s Constitutional Court has annulled the country’s presidential elections, including the first round and the upcoming runoff initially scheduled for Sunday (8 December) between far-right candidate Călin Georgescu and liberal  Elena Lasconi.

The unanimous decision announced on Friday (6 December) voids the entire electoral process, citing irregularities that require a complete restart. A new election date will be set by the government following the decision’s publication in the Official Gazette.

“In accordance with Article 146(f) of the Constitution, the entire electoral process for electing the President of Romania is annulled,” stated the court’s official communiqué.

The cancellation comes amid legal disputes over the elections’ fairness, with various petitions submitted to the court before the runoff.

Călin Georgescu, a far-right candidate with pro-Russian sympathies, has faced allegations that his candidacy benefitted from disinformation campaigns and coordinated promotion on TikTok during the first round of the presidential elections.

Romanian authorities have called for an investigation into the platform’s role in amplifying his message, raising concerns about foreign interference and social media’s influence on democratic processes.

The government now has up to 90 days to organize new elections, with speculation suggesting they could take place in February or March.

“This moves the process back to the very beginning”, Siegfried Muresan from the conservative PNL party (EPP) told Euractiv. “It will be up to the candidates to decide if they submit candidacies and the authorities will be looking into whether those can be validated.

“Certainly authorities will make sure that foreign interference is tackled”, he added.

Meanwhile, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis’ term, set to expire on December 21, will likely be extended due to the state of necessity created by this unprecedented situation.

The ruling has ignited debate about the role of the Constitutional Court in validating elections. Critics, including former Constitutional Court Judge Petre Lăzăroiu, argue that the court’s role is to validate results based on clear evidence, not suspicions.

“Decisions must be based on clear, undeniable proof, not speculation,” emphasized Augustin Zegrean, another former court president on TVR Romania.

With the electoral process now back to square one, Romania faces uncertainty as it prepares to reorganize its presidential race under intense legal and public scrutiny.

*Nicholas Wallace contributed reporting.