(CLO) Romania's Supreme Court has annulled the ongoing presidential election following allegations of foreign interference, ruling on Friday that the entire process will have to be re-run.
The second round was scheduled for next Sunday and voting has already begun at polling stations abroad. However, that race has been cancelled, which was to be between Calin Georgescu, a far-right pro-Russian candidate, and pro-Western leader Elena Lasconi.
"The Romanian presidential election process will be completely re-run and the Government will set new dates and... schedules for the necessary steps," the Court said in a statement.
Romanian Parliament Palace in Bucharest, Romania on December 6, 2024. Photo: Reuters
Controversy over decision to annul election results
Mr Georgescu was forecast to win only around 5% of the vote in opinion polls ahead of the first round on 24 November, but then surged to first place, raising many questions about the result.
Mr Georgescu wants to end Romania's support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. And if he wins, that would upend Romania's pro-Western EU and NATO politics.
It is still unclear whether Mr Georgescu will be allowed to run again. Some experts predict that Mr Georgescu will be barred from running again.
"It is very likely that the court will not allow Calin Georgescu to run again," said Sergiu Miscoiu, a professor of political science at Babes-Bolyai University.
Many parties have protested against the above ruling of the Romanian Supreme Court. "The ruling shows the weakness of the Romanian state...", said Laura Stefan, a legal expert at the Expert Forum consultancy.
In a statement to Realitatea television, Mr Georgescu called the court's ruling an "official coup", evidence of a corrupt system that he said was being exposed.
Even his opponent Ms Lasconi condemned the court's ruling. "The decision of the constitutional court is illegal, immoral and destroys the essence of democracy, the right to vote," she said.
However, Social Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu backed the move, calling it "the only right solution".
Why are candidates running on... TikTok?
Romania’s top security council declassified documents on Wednesday that said the election was “meddled by Russia.” Russia has been critical and has vehemently denied the baseless accusations.
Romania's organised crime prosecution unit DIICOT said it was opening an investigation into Mr Georgescu's operation after analysing declassified documents.
In one of the declassified documents, Romania’s intelligence agency said Mr. Georgescu was heavily promoted on TikTok through coordinated accounts, recommendation algorithms and paid advertising. Mr. Georgescu has said he did not spend any money on the campaign.
TikTok also denied giving Georgescu special treatment, saying his account was labeled a political account and treated like any other.
The second round of the presidential election that was cancelled was scheduled to be Romania's third consecutive vote, following a first round of presidential and parliamentary elections in which far-right parties won a third of the seats, although the ruling Social Democrats emerged as the largest group and hoped to form a pro-EU coalition government.
The parliamentary elections are not affected by the Supreme Court ruling. It will be up to the new government to set a new schedule for the presidential election.
Bui Huy (according to Reuters, AP)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/romania-bat-ngo-huy-ket-qua-bau-cu-tong-thong-cac-ben-phan-ung-du-doi-post324502.html
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