Romania’s constitutional court on Friday canceled the country’s presidential election following allegations of Russian interference in favor of the far-right frontrunner, just two days ahead of the run-off.
Pro-EU Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said he would stay in his post until a new government emerges from the legislative elections last weekend to set a new presidential election date.
The country’s authorities had objected after far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the election’s first round on Nov. 24, a shock result in the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine.
Photo: Reuters
On Wednesday, the presidency declassified documents detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including “massive” social media promotion and cyberattacks.
Based on this, the court said it unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process to ensure its “correctness and legality.”
The process “was marred throughout its entire duration and at all stages by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation that distorted the free and correct nature of the vote cast by citizens,” it said in its ruling.
“All these aspects had the converging effect of disregarding the essential principles of democratic elections,” it added.
Georgescu, a former senior civil servant, had been due to face centrist Campulung Mayor Elena Lasconi in today’s runoff.
“It is basically a formalized coup... Our democracy is under attack,” Georgescu, 62, said in a video message, calling on Romanians to “remain faithful to our common ideal.
“They will not be able to stop me. And they cannot stop the Romanian people from what they want to change,” he told local media.
Lasconi, a 52-year-old former journalist, also called the court’s decision “illegal, immoral... crushing the very essence of democracy.”
Fears had been raised that if Georgescu won, the country — whose strategic importance has increased since Moscow invaded Ukraine — would join the EU’s far-right bloc and undermine European unity against Russia.
Outgoing Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu — who lost in the first round of presidential elections — hailed the decision as “the only correct solution.”
Anti-corruption prosecutors on Friday said they had opened an investigation into “illegal operations with computer devices or software.”
Prosecutors are already probing “possible violations of electoral legislation” and “money laundering offences”.
In documents drawn up for a security council meeting and published on Wednesday, authorities said data had “revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation.”
Last week, authorities condemned “preferential treatment” of Georgescu by TikTok, something the social media platform has denied.
The European Commission announced on Thursday it had stepped up monitoring of TikTok.
A separate intelligence services document stated that Romania was a “target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions,” including cyberattacks.
Friday’s decision to cancel the elections is “an unprecedented and historic decision,” political analyst Costin Ciobanu said.
It “deepens uncertainty and polarization within Romanian society, raising serious concerns about the strength of Romania’s institutions and democracy,” he added.
Georgescu shot into the limelight with his performance in the first round of voting.
Having praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, he has more recently avoided answering questions about him being pro-Russian.
While the president’s post is largely ceremonial, the head-of-state has moral authority and influence on Romania’s foreign policy.
The president also designates the prime minister — a key role especially since legislative elections last weekend returned a fragmented parliament.
The governing pro-European Social Democrats won the vote, but far-right parties made strong gains, together securing a third of the ballots.
Since the 1989 fall of communism, Romania has not seen such a breakthrough by the far right, fueled by mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
OPTIMISTIC: A Philippine Air Force spokeswoman said the military believed the crew were safe and were hopeful that they and the jet would be recovered A Philippine Air Force FA-50 jet and its two-person crew are missing after flying in support of ground forces fighting communist rebels in the southern Mindanao region, a military official said yesterday. Philippine Air Force spokeswoman Colonel Consuelo Castillo said the jet was flying “over land” on the way to its target area when it went missing during a “tactical night operation in support of our ground troops.” While she declined to provide mission specifics, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema-ala confirmed that the missing FA-50 was part of a squadron sent “to provide air support” to troops fighting communist rebels in
PROBE: Last week, Romanian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation against presidential candidate Calin Georgescu accusing him of supporting fascist groups Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Romania’s capital on Saturday in the latest anti-government demonstration by far-right groups after a top court canceled a presidential election in the EU country last year. Protesters converged in front of the government building in Bucharest, waving Romania’s tricolor flags and chanting slogans such as “down with the government” and “thieves.” Many expressed support for Calin Georgescu, who emerged as the frontrunner in December’s canceled election, and demanded they be resumed from the second round. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), which organized the protest,
ECONOMIC DISTORTION? The US commerce secretary’s remarks echoed Elon Musk’s arguments that spending by the government does not create value for the economy US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Sunday said that government spending could be separated from GDP reports, in response to questions about whether the spending cuts pushed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency could possibly cause an economic downturn. “You know that governments historically have messed with GDP,” Lutnick said on Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures. “They count government spending as part of GDP. So I’m going to separate those two and make it transparent.” Doing so could potentially complicate or distort a fundamental measure of the US economy’s health. Government spending is traditionally included in the GDP because
Hundreds of people in rainbow colors gathered on Saturday in South Africa’s tourist magnet Cape Town to honor the world’s first openly gay imam, who was killed last month. Muhsin Hendricks, who ran a mosque for marginalized Muslims, was shot dead last month near the southern city of Gqeberha. “I was heartbroken. I think it’s sad especially how far we’ve come, considering how progressive South Africa has been,” attendee Keisha Jensen said. Led by motorcycle riders, the mostly young crowd walked through the streets of the coastal city, some waving placards emblazoned with Hendricks’s image and reading: “#JUSTICEFORMUHSIN.” No arrest
RSS