PRESIDENT SELECTIONS IN ROMANIA
The threat of PAVODITY.
On 6 December 2024, the Romanian Constitutional Court (SK) decided not to recognise the 1st circular of the presidential election, which took place on 24 November 2024, and ordered the full election process to be repeated.
In his justification, he found that the winner of the 1st circular – the extremist right-wing Călin Georgescu – was manipulating by utilizing “untransparent and violating electoral ordination of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in campaigning.”
As a result, the rule of equal opportunities for candidates seeking the position of head of state was to be breached.
The judges besides pointed out the untransparent way of financing Georgesc's campaign, which itself claimed he had not allocated any funds to it.
The decision of the court met criticism not only from the winners of the I tour, but besides from George Simion – the leader of the extremist right-wing and Eurosceptic organization of the Union of Romanian Unity (AUR) – and Elena Lasconi, the Liberal Chief, the Center Right-wing Union of Romania (USR), to which Georgescu was to face in the 2nd round
8 December 2024.
It called the SK verdict “during democracy” and stated that it was an effort to halt it from possibly taking the seat of President.
By the time the fresh leader is elected, this position will proceed to be held by Klaus Iohannis (his mandate, which expires formally on 21 December 2024, will be extended).
The win in the first circular of Georgesc – an unknown policy that recorded on average only 5% support in the polls – raised serious suspicions of unfair run conduct and external interference in elections.
However, the ruling of the SK, based on weak evidence and discussion from a procedural perspective, will negatively affect Romanian assurance in democratic institutions.
It will besides be a propaganda fuel for radical, anti-system and Eurosceptic groups that have become popular in the country in fresh years.
An unprecedented decision was made on the basis of previously declassified reports of Romanian services, which was made at the request of president Iohannis.
They pointed out that Georgesc's social media run led companies registered in different countries utilizing many false accounts and bots (there are talk of 25 1000 specified accounts).
At the same time, according to the services, the extraordinary momentum and the way in which these promotional actions were taken suggests that they were coordinated by a "state actor".
Although the study does not clearly state who it is, it indirectly points to Russia.
In declassified service documents, among others, they point out that during the elections, public institutions liable for the electoral process were subject to mass cyber attacks involving Russian hackers. They besides inform about the backing of Georgesc's run by a certain Bogdan Pe?chir – the owner of an IT company.
He invested about EUR 1 million in the promotion of the policy in TikTok.
The SK ruling is very controversial, and its legality is contested by commentators.
It undermines the decision taken by this institution on 2 December 2024 to recognise the first circular of elections.
The annulment decision was issued very late – only 2 days before the 2nd circular (at the time erstwhile it was announced 37,000 votes were already cast in abroad committees) – on the basis of appeal applications, submitted after the deadline for submitting appeals.
The court is besides accused of the political nature of the verdict. Lasconi and her supporters propose that he intended not only to destruct Georgesc from the election race, but besides to let the largest Romanian Social Democratic organization (PSD) to force its presidential candidate.
During the I tour, the typical of this group – Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu – won 3rd place with a score of just 0.02% lower than Lasconi.
However, so far, the SK's decision has not sparked social protests, which is due both to Georgesc's deficiency of political background (so there was a deficiency of an entity capable of organising specified protests) and to the circumstantial character of his electorate.
Many of his constituents decided to cast an impulsive vote for him, inspired by his run on social media.
They are so not a mobilised and integrated group.
The annulment of elections will strengthen the country's increasing aversion to mainstream parties for years and the extremist and anti-systemist right.
Georgescu will most likely not be allowed to participate in a repeated vote, which will take place at the earliest in March 2025 (it is expected that politicians will be charged with election manipulation).
Part of his electorate will be taken over by AUR Simion's leader, which will most likely let him to enter the II tour. Countercandiates can be both Lasconi, who will surely run for re-election, as well as a associate of the PSD (although it is not certain whether it will be Ciolacu) or the current leader of the co-ordinating National Liberal organization (PNL) Ilie Bolojan.
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Mark Karp East Studies Center
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To be distributed in public discipline Aleksander Szumański
Aleksander Szumański, a past witness - an independent journalist, correspondent of the planet Polish press, accredited (US) in Poland from 2005 to 2014, prosecuted and sentenced to death by German occupiers.
Kombatant - Repressed individual - certificate of the rights of the Kombatants and Repressed Persons No. B 18668/KT3621.
Member of the Association of the Jews of the Kombatants and the Damaged in planet War II. No. 122.
