Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu addressed the press in Izvorani, Ilfov county, near Bucharest, Romania, on November 26, 2024. — Reuters
Romania's highest court mandated a recount for the first round of the presidential election, as announced on Thursday. This decision, according to observers, could undermine the credibility of state institutions before two additional ballots are held. The Constitutional Court "unanimously mandated the re-verification and recounting of the voting ballots for the November 24 presidential election," according to a statement. Calin Georgescu, a 62-year-old independent far-right politician who previously polled in single digits, unexpectedly surged to victory, raising questions about how this could have occurred in a European Union and NATO member state. This decision adds to the electoral turmoil in Romania, which is set to conduct three ballots over three weeks, crucial for determining the country's future direction, given its pro-Western stance and strong support for Ukraine. Georgescu has previously lauded 1930s Romanian fascist politicians as national heroes and martyrs, criticized NATO and Romania's stance on Ukraine, and advocated for engagement rather than confrontation with Russia. He is set to face centrist Elena Lasconi in a run-off on December 8. Meanwhile, a parliamentary election is scheduled for Sunday.
Lasconi condemned the Constitutional Court's decision on her social media, stating, "The Constitutional Court is interfering in the democratic process for the second time." She referred to a previous court decision banning a far-right politician from running in the presidential election. "One combats extremism through votes, not backstage games." In October, the Constitutional Court disqualified a far-right politician from the presidential race, a ruling that analysts, civil rights groups, and some parties deemed an overreach. The recount decision followed a challenge by conservative presidential candidate Cristian Terhes, who received one percent of the votes on Sunday, questioning the ballot's outcome. Terhes requested the Court to annul the election result. The court postponed its ruling to November 29 but also called for a recount. Toni Grebla, the head of the country's election authority, stated that once the official request is received, it would take days to recount the votes. A total of 9.46 million votes were cast in the election. Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu ranked third on Sunday, trailing runner-up Lasconi by only 2,740 votes. Georgescu gained significant support from young voters and Romanians abroad, with his campaign heavily relying on TikTok. On Wednesday, a senior official at Romania's telecoms regulator called for TikTok's suspension pending an investigation into its potential role in the election. TikTok dismissed such concerns, noting that most candidates also campaigned on other social media platforms. The country's top security body convened on Thursday to discuss potential national security risks from cyber state and non-state entities.
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