Sarah Rainsford of the BBC reported that just two days before Romanians were set to vote in a presidential election run-off, the entire process was canceled due to an unprecedented ruling by the constitutional court. The ruling came after a far-right independent candidate, Calin Georgescu, surprisingly led the first round of voting amid allegations of Russian interference. Georgescu has criticized the decision as a coup, and Romania may have to wait several months before holding another election.
The decision to annul the vote was based on intelligence revelations of Russian meddling, similar to other Eastern European countries like Moldova and Georgia. The court ruled that the interference was serious enough to postpone the election. The sudden surge in support for Georgescu was attributed to a highly organized social media campaign, funded by foreign accounts, which violated Romanian laws.
The court’s ruling stated that the entire vote must be annulled to ensure the fairness and legality of the electoral process. This decision is final and binding, and the government must establish a new date for a re-run of the election. Georgescu, a relatively unknown candidate, denies any ties to Russia and has a Romania-first stance on international relations.
The annulment of the election has divided opinions among Romanians, with some criticizing the court’s decision while others support a fresh start to the race. Incumbent President Klaus Iohannis will remain in office until a new president is elected, and Georgescu may face criminal proceedings due to the allegations against him. The future of Romanian democracy remains uncertain as the country prepares for a new round of elections. Sarah Rainsford/BBC
Werden sie auf die Straße gehen, oder suchen sie Unterstützung für Calin Georgescu oder ein anderer nationalistischer Kandidat, wenn Rumänien schließlich zurück zum Wahlkasten kehrt?