Romania’s constitutional court has annulled the country’s 2024 presidential election process due to allegations of Russian interference, according to a historic decision announced on Friday. The ruling means that the scheduled second-round runoff between centrist candidate Elena Lasconi and ultranationalist Calin Georgescu will not take place.
The court based its decision on Article 146(f) of the Constitution, emphasizing the need for electoral process correctness and legality. The ruling is final and binding, requiring the Romanian government to restart the electoral calendar.
Friday’s announcement comes amid a troubled election cycle, with the same court ordering a recount of the first-round votes last week. Declassified documents revealed evidence of “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks” on Romania’s top security council, including attempts to boost Georgescu’s campaign on TikTok through algorithms and paid promotion.
The US State Department expressed concern over the allegations, warning that a shift away from Western values would have negative impacts on US-Romania security cooperation. In contrast, the Romanian government has been criticized for its handling of the election process.
Georgescu, 62, won the first round with 22.9% of the vote, despite starting his campaign with low support. His victory has raised concerns among Western leaders and Romanian officials, who describe it as “shocking” and potentially backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/06/europe/romania-annuls-presidential-election-intl/index.html