Court Annuls Romanian Presidential Election Amid Accusations Of Russian Meddling

https://www.rferl.org/a/lasconi-georgescu-runoff-romania/33228897.html

30 comments

  6. The Russians really just need to Bucharest at a rehab facility or something. They just need some sleep.

  7. Nuclear War threats from Poot Poot incoming in three, two…

  8. >**Romania’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the presidential election, the second round of which was to be held this weekend, must be scrapped entirely and a completely new election held.**

    >The court made its ruling on December 6, saying the government must now decide on when to hold the new vote.

    The first-round victory of Russian-friendly, far-right candidate Calin Georgescu sent shock waves across the West amid proof of a massive, Moscow-orchestrated cyber-campaign in his favor on TikTok that largely went under the radar of Romanian authorities.

    Georgescu was to face off in a runoff vote on December 8 against pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi.

    >Voting haD begun abroad in Romania’s presidential runoff seen as a referendum on the NATO and EU member’s future course amid accusations of Russian meddling that brought thousands of Romanians to the streets in support of the country’s place in the Euro-Atlantic community.

    >Romanian authorities had decided to give the numerous diaspora 2 1/2 days of voting to avoid the long lines that marred other previous elections at Romanian diplomatic missions abroad.

    >Georgescu had appeared as a favorite to win the runoff, but was passed by Lasconi in the latest opinion poll after Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) on December 4 declassified documents revealing the country was the target of an “aggressive hybrid Russian action” that led to the far-right candidate’s shock victory.

    >Lasconi, a former TV presenter and the incumbent mayor of the small city of Campulung, had a 2 percentage-point lead over Georgescu in the AtlasIntel poll published on December 5 which is credited with an error margin of about 1 percent.

    Georgescu’s first-place finish sparked fears and triggered protests, especially among younger Romanians, over the future of democracy in the country.

    >On December 5, some 3,000 people marched in Bucharest 5 demanding Romania maintain its pro-European path before gathering in the capital’s University Square chanting “Freedom” and “Europe.”

    >Activists, including poet Ana Blandiana, prominent actors, and other Romanians spoke at the rally, which was sponsored by the group Romania Spera (Romania Hopes).

    Blandiana, who was banned by Romania’s communist authorities, said the vote represents more than just a simple election. The balloting is a true referendum: “‘Yes’ — for Europe or ‘no’ for the past that I came out of 35 years ago,” she told the crowd.

    Romanian theater and film legend Victor Rebengiuc also urged the crowds to vote for Lasconi. “I call on you to choose Lasconi, a detour through Campulung is closer than one through Moscow,” the 91-year-old actor and civic activist told the mostly young audience.

    >Serban Pavlu, an actor known for playing in Romanian and Western feature films and television series, also urged voters to choose the pro-European candidate.

    “We cannot, 30 years after the revolution, fear that the Russians will come after us,” Pavlu said, in reference to the events of December 1989, when civil unrest spread through the country and resulted in the Christmas Day execution of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena.

    Actress Oana Pellea told the gathering that there is only one path for Romanians: the one toward freedom “so that we don’t end up spending our holidays [in Russia] in St. Petersburg.”

    After each speaker, the people gathered in the square shouted, “Freedom! Freedom!” as they were urged to vote for Lasconi.

    >History professor Marcel Bartic opened the rally by telling people they were using their voices to speak out against fascism, which he said Romania doesn’t want.

    “We are here to remind our compatriots that Romania says no to extremists, to fascism. We want Europe, European values and we are not afraid to say it,” Bartic said.

    The announcement by the Romania Spera group on Facebook said the country is at a decisive moment after the revolution opened the country’s path to freedom and democracy.

    The organization said the country had been on a “difficult road…with many disappointments” since 1989 but had still achieved the right to travel, settle, study, and work in the countries of Europe and membership in NATO.

    “Human dignity, fundamental freedoms, equality between persons, solidarity, citizens’ rights, and justice are the values that can unite us all,” the organization said, adding that it represents a “common cry for the protection and strengthening of these fundamental values.”

  9. Funny how every country around the world is noticing Putin interfering in their elections, and always pushing far right candidates.

    Here we are in the UK, people still deep in denial that Putin is backing Farage. You know who else backs Farage? Elon Musk. And who do Elon and and Farage support? Trump! Oh. Seems there’s a little club getting together here…

  12. Good, now there should be talks about treason and an investigation, because running as a puppet candidate is by no means something you do in the best interests of your own country.

  15. Meddling in an election should be considered an act of war. It’s really an attempt to overthrow the government.

  16. This is the way. Investigate & highlight Russian/Chinese/Iranian interference, annul any event or election they were interfering with.

    It’s time the “west” starts pushing back against this bs from authoritarian regimes terrified of pluralism.

  17. Amazing that Romania, a relatively young democracy, was capable of this when America wasn’t.

  18. And what will they do, when he wins the second time? annul them as well?

  19. So, Russia ran a social media operation to support the far-right candidate, and the court annulled it and said there has to be a new round of voting. How is a new round of voting going to change the opinions of people who voted for the far-right? Isn’t there a good chance they just say something like “they’re trying to steal the election and are using fake news to influence us” and vote for them again?

  20. Well if the West had actually responded seriously instead of sending strongly worded emails to Russia in 2014, and in 2022, we probably wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

  21. This is what a real, patriotic American court would do, too.

  22. Romania show the EU how to do it. Election interference is an act of war.

  23. Wow. It’s amazing to see a country with guts to do what needs to be done.

  24. Who *isn’t* sick of the russian government at this point? lol Like fuck off already.

  28. So they saved democracy in Romania? Why the hell can’t they do they here?

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