Romania’s top court scraps presidential election

BUCHAREST: 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.
Romanian authorities objected after outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round of the election on November 24, a shock result in the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the presidency declassified documents detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including “massive” social media promotion and cyber-attacks.
The court said it had unanimously decided “to annul the entire electoral process for the election of the president of Romania... to ensure the correctness and legality of the electoral process.”
“The government will set a new date for the election of the president of Romania,” it added.
Georgescu, a former senior civil servant, had been due to face centrist mayor Elena Lasconi in Sunday’s runoff.
“Today is the moment when the Romanian state has trampled democracy,” Lasconi, a former journalist, 52, said in a video recording, calling the decision “illegal, immoral... crushing the very essence of democracy.”
Fears had been raised that if Georgescu won, the country would join the EU’s far-right bloc and undermine European unity against Russia.
Washington has warned of “serious negative impacts” if Romania — whose strategic importance has increased since Russia invaded Ukraine — turned away from the West.
Outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu — who lost in the first round of presidential elections — welcomed the court’s decision in a post on Facebook.
It was, he said, “the only correct solution after the declassification of the documents... which show that the result of the Romanians’ vote was blatantly distorted as a result of Russia’s intervention.”
The documents, drawn up for a security council meeting and published Wednesday, the authorities said data had “revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace.”
Last week authorities slammed “preferential treatment” of Georgescu by TikTok, which the social media platform has denied. It said Thursday it had “no evidence that a coordinated campaign has taken place on our platform to date.”
The European Commission announced however that it had stepped up monitoring of TikTok’s role in the elections.
A separate intelligence services document stated that Romania “is perceived by Moscow’s policy centers as an enemy state.”
Romania is a “target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks and hacks and leaks and sabotage,” it added.
Anti-corruption prosecutors on Friday said they have opened an investigation into “illegal operations with computer devices or software.”
Prosecutors are already probing “possible violations of electoral legislation” and “money laundering offenses.”
Georgescu, 62, shot into the limelight with his performance in the first round of voting.
Having praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, he has recently avoided answering questions about him being pro-Russian.
A critic of the EU and NATO, he says he does not want to leave either group but wants to put Romania “on the world map.”
Like his idol US president-elect Donald Trump, he is opposed to military aid to Ukraine.
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 fall of Communism in 1989, Romania has never seen such a breakthrough by the far right, fueled by mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine.
George Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, also slammed Friday’s court ruling, calling it a “state coup in full swing.”