Romania’s high court has annulled the results of the country’s presidential election after right-wing populist Calin Georgescu narrowly won the first round.
The court said that, rather than proceeding with the run-off stages of the election, a new election would be held.
“The electoral process for the election of the President of Romania will be resumed in its entirety, and the Government will set a new date for the election of the President of Romania, as well as a new time schedule for the implementation of the necessary actions,” the court said in a statement on Friday.
The court added that the re-run would be necessary to “ensure the fairness and legality of the electoral process.” The court said that further explanation would be given.
That further explanation was apparently given by outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who said the court’s decision was “the only correct solution after the declassification of the documents… which show that the result of the Romanians’ vote was blatantly distorted as a result of Russia’s intervention.”
Georgescu, a right-wing populist, has sent shockwaves through his native country and the wider European Union. He has campaigned largely through TikTok and his anti-establishment message includes advocacy for Christianity, rejection of the climate-change agenda and a claims that members of global elites are engaged in pedophilia.
Even Georgescu’s opponent, the moderate Elena Lasconi, has criticized the high court’s decision.
“Today is the moment when the Romanian state trampled over democracy. God, the Romanian people, the truth and the law will prevail and will punish those who are guilty of destroying our democracy,” she said.