Romania’s Constitutional Court has instructed the Central Electoral Bureau to reverify and recount all ballots from the first round of the presidential election. This decision, as per Article 146(f) of the Romanian Constitution, allows the court to engage in electoral disputes, mandating a full reexamination of the 9,465,257 votes cast.
The court’s decision comes in response to a request by candidate Cristian Vasile Terheș to annul the results, citing procedural irregularities. However, the court dismissed a similar request by another candidate, Sebastian-Constantin Popescu, for being untimely. The recount results will be assessed by the court on November 29.
The first electoral round occurred on November 24, with Călin Georgescu emerging as a surprise front-runner, acquiring 22.94% of the vote. His campaign effectively utilized TikTok, raising concerns over the platform’s handling of political content. This prompted Romanian NGOs to request the European Commission to review social media compliance with European social media laws during the election.
As the nation approaches the decisive second round on December 8, attention remains on Georgescu’s campaign, which emphasizes bolstering Romania’s agricultural sector. This sector comprises 23% of the labor force, featuring nearly 3.5 million farmers, the largest number in the EU. Georgescu’s manifesto advocates revitalizing rural areas to enhance self-sufficiency and decrease import reliance.