The Romanian presidential election has been annulled by the country’s Constitutional Court following allegations of Russian meddling, a move that has sparked political outrage and raised concerns over the state of democracy in the Eastern European nation.
The court’s decision, announced Friday, nullified the ongoing election process, which had been set to conclude on Sunday with a runoff between far-right, pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu and pro-European centrist leader Elena Lasconi. The entire election will now be re-run, although a new timeline has yet to be announced.
On Sunday, Georgescu appeared at the polling station where he had planned to vote, surrounded by supporters and media. Speaking in English, he criticized the court’s ruling. “We shall continue in the democratic manner,” he declared. “I ask very clearly for peace and for the recuperation of our democracy because democracy was cancelled with the court.”
The annulment has drawn mixed reactions across Romania’s political spectrum. Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu supported the court’s decision, calling it “the only correct solution” to allegations of interference. However, both Georgescu and Lasconi condemned the ruling, emphasizing its implications for democratic stability.
Lasconi, in a letter dated December 7 and addressed to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, expressed deep concern for Romania’s democratic future. “For the past 35 years, we have had democracy, but government and corrupt politicians have failed to deliver for the Romanian people,” she wrote. “I fear we have 15 years to go—maybe less—where no one wants to go: dictatorship.”
The controversy centers on allegations of Russian interference in the election, which Russia has denied. If Georgescu were to win the presidency, analysts warn it could shift Romania’s foreign policy away from its traditionally pro-Western stance. As a member of NATO and the European Union, Romania has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. However, Georgescu has openly advocated for ending Romanian assistance to Ukraine.
The election annulment has further polarized the nation. Sorin Scuratovschi, a Georgescu supporter, criticized the court’s decision as “totally unfair” and “an attack on democracy.”
Political analysts suggest the election rerun will be a crucial test for Romania’s democratic institutions and its geopolitical alignment. A Georgescu victory could push the country closer to populist, Russia-friendly governments in Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, while a Lasconi presidency would reaffirm its commitment to European integration and NATO solidarity.
For now, Romania remains in political limbo, with both candidates rallying their supporters and urging action to safeguard the nation’s democratic foundations.
