In an unsettling blow to fairness and democracy, a Romanian appeals court upheld the Constitutional Court’s decision to annul the November 24 presidential election, dismissing Călin Georgescu’s challenge.
Georgescu had found himself suddenly propelled from political obscurity to the front of the race, largely thanks to a TikTok campaign that raised red flags with Romania’s security services, who has, without providing any evidence, likened it to the Kremlin’s influence operations seen in Moldova and Ukraine.
This decision is nothing short of a political setback for Georgescu, who voiced his anger on Tuesday, claiming, “Justice has been brought to its knees again.” He further decried the court’s actions, declaring, “Through what happened today, the people [have been] condemned to accept corruption and injustice as a state of affairs.” Despite this, Georgescu still has five days to appeal the ruling, potentially prolonging the battle for the presidency.
The election itself, which was abruptly canceled, saw Georgescu pitted against Elena Lasconi, his pro-EU challenger. Georgescu’s campaign, fueled by far-right rhetoric and ties to the Kremlin, threatened to shift Romania’s alignment away from the West and into Russia’s grasp—a dangerous outcome for a nation already in the spotlight over its geopolitical positioning. Lasconi, in stark contrast, committed to maintaining Romania’s alignment with NATO and the EU, further underscoring the East versus West divide that has taken center stage in Romanian politics.
The rejection of Georgescu’s appeal raises serious questions about the integrity of the process, as the government has yet to announce plans for a new election. In the meantime, President Klaus Iohannis’s term has been extended, leaving the country in a political limbo as candidates prepare for another round of voting.
