In an unprecedented development, similar to a coup d'état, the Romanian Constitutional Court on Friday, Dec. 6 has annulled the first round of the presidential elections that took place on Nov. 24. It had previously seen no need for such a step and just several days ago had given the go-ahead for the second round of the Presidential elections to take place as scheduled this Sunday, Dec. 8.
The two candidates to compete in the second round this Sunday were the winner of the first round, Calin Georgescu, supposedly “pro-Putin” and Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania, or USR party, a neoliberal, anti-Putin party.
Now, the government will set a new date for the presidential election, and the entire electoral process will start over, beginning with the registration and validation of candidates. A meeting by the Constitutional Court judges had been set on an emergency basis on Friday, Dec. 6, for consultations. Supposedly a large number of new requests for the annulment of the presidential election had reached the court.
This is the quote on the decision of the Constitutional Court:
