Friday December 6, the decision came after manipulations were uncovered on the social media TikTok, where far-right candidate Călin Georgescu benefited from a campaign supported by paid influencers. Intelligence services declassified documents indicating a coordinated operation to influence the vote, leading to the cancellation of the electoral process to ensure its legality and fairness.
The court’s decision, based on Article 146 of the Constitution, mandates a complete restart of the electoral process. The annulment occurred just before the scheduled second-round runoff between Georgescu and centrist Elena Lasconi, leading to political uncertainty in Romania.
Consequences for Romania’s Politics ?
First, this decision has caused an institutional crisis by weakening citizens’ trust in democracy. It has exposed flaws in the functioning of institutions, such as electoral bodies and the judiciary. This has reinforced the feeling of distrust among the population.
It has also deepened divisions within Romanian society. Major political parties are accused of manipulation, while supporters of the extreme right fear a coup d’état. This has made the political climate even more tense and divided.
Moreover, this cancellation revives concerns about foreign influence, particularly from Russia. This casts doubt on the country’s ability to protect its democratic process, while risking weakening its relations with allies such as the European Union and NATO.
And finally, the obligation to re-run the elections creates great uncertainty. Without a clear leader, the country could remain in limbo for months. Indeed, new elections could be pushed back until spring 2025. This risks slowing down the management of important issues, both inside and outside the country.
The Process for Presidential Election in Romania
In Romania, the presidential election process is governed by the Constitution and electoral laws. The President of the Republic is elected for a five-year term, renewable once consecutively. To be a candidate, a person must be a Romanian citizen, be at least 35 years old and enjoy all civil rights. Elections are held at least 45 days before the expiration of the term of the incumbent president. The date is set by the government, and the Permanent Electoral Authority organizes the vote.
Candidates must collect at least 200,000 signatures from citizens to be eligible to run. These signatures must be submitted to the Central Electoral Bureau, which validates the candidates. Once the candidacies are official, the electoral campaign can begin, allowing candidates to present their programs to voters.
The president is elected by direct universal suffrage, according to a two-round majority system. In the first round, all candidates are in the running. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast, a second round is held between the two leading candidates. The candidate who obtains the majority of votes in this second round is declared elected.
The right to vote is granted to all Romanian citizens aged 18 or over on the day of the election. Voting is personal, direct and secret.
Once the elections are over, the results are centralized by the Central Electoral Bureau and then transmitted to the Constitutional Court, which officially validates the vote. The elected president takes the oath before Parliament and takes office after an investiture ceremony.
What next?
For now, the Romanian government must set a new date for the elections within 90 days, which could mean that the vote will be held in February or March 2025. In the meantime, the current president, Klaus Iohannis, will remain in office until a new president is elected.
