Romania’s top court has annulled the first round of the country’s presidential election, days after declassified intelligence said Russia conducted a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round.
The court’s landmark move effectively nullifies the national election, which will have to be held again.
The constitutional court ruling – which is final – came on Friday after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence two days earlier that Moscow had run a massive campaign involving thousands of social media accounts to promote pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu in platforms like TikTok and Telegram.
Although it is unknown who announced zero campaign costs, Georgescu emerged as the favourite on November 24, a shocking result in the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine. He was due to face pro-EU reformist Elena Lasconi of the Union for Saving Romania party in a run-off on Sunday.
Romania was due to hold its presidential runoff on Sunday, with Georgescu seen as having a significant chance of defeating his centrist rival and thereby shifting the balance of power in the region. Voting has already been canceled as voting is already underway in overseas polling stations.
“The electoral process to elect the president of Romania will be completely repeated and the government will set a new date and … calendar for the necessary steps,” the court said in a statement.
Outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Cholaku hailed the court’s decision in a post on Facebook. According to him, this was “the only correct decision after the declassification of the documents … which show that the result of the Romanian vote was grossly distorted as a result of Russian interference.”
However, Lasconi, the pro-European candidate, condemned the decision. “The decision of the constitutional court is illegal, immoral and crushes the very essence of democracy, voting,” she said.
The European Commission said on Thursday that it has stepped up monitoring of TikTok in the context of the Romanian elections.
Georgescu, who is calling for an end to Romania’s support for Ukraine to repel a Russian invasion, was in single digits before the first round last month. His astonishing victory raised fundamental questions about how the democratic system of a country embedded in Western institutions could pull off such a surprise.
Documents declassified by Romania’s top security council on Wednesday show the country was the target of “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks” during the election period.
Far-right parties also performed well in last Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Romania, although the ruling Social Democrats emerged as the largest group and hope to form a pro-European coalition government.
The court did not question the fairness of the parliamentary vote.
Late Thursday, thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital Bucharest in support of democracy ahead of the now-cancelled presidential runoff.
Romanian musicians, filmmakers, actors and civic activists voiced their support for Lasconi at a rally in sub-zero temperatures, urging voters not to isolate the country from its allies and partners. An estimated 3,000 people chanted “Europe!” and “No Fascism,” carrying banners reading “Democracy is in danger” and “Our children will be free.”
A victory for Georgescu, an admirer of Putin and Donald Trump, would wrest Romania from its traditional place in the pro-Western group and push it into a group of Central and Eastern European countries including Hungary, Slovakia and Austria with powerful far-right, Russia-friendly politicians .
An AtlasIntel poll conducted on December 4-5 and cited by news website hotnews.ro showed Lasconi narrowly ahead of Georgescu with 48.6% to 46.4%, a day after the alleged Russian documents were declassified intervention.
The evidence reveals that Georgescu was massively promoted on TikTok through coordinated accounts, referral algorithms and paid promotion.
“Reports by Romanian authorities that Russian disinformation is influencing Romania’s presidential election show: (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to divide us and undermine unity within the EU and NATO” German Foreign Ministry published on X.
Russia has denied meddling, and TikTok has said it did not give Georgescu preferential treatment.
Romanian prosecutors announced on Thursday that they had opened a criminal investigation against Georgescu on suspicion of money laundering.
While the office of the president is largely ceremonial, the head of state has moral authority and influence over Romania’s foreign policy.
The president also appoints the next prime minister, a key role, especially since legislative elections last weekend returned a fragmented parliament.
Since the fall of communism in 1989. Romania has never seen such a strong showing from the far right, fueled by growing anger over high inflation and fears of war in Ukraine.