Romania’s annulled presidential election is taking center stage at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), with victorious candidate Călin Georgescu determined to challenge the decision.
The country’s Constitutional Court overturned the November 2024 election results, citing alleged Russian interference on TikTok, sparking outrage among Georgescu’s supporters and raising questions about the integrity of Romania’s democracy.
After the Court of Appeals rejected Georgescu’s appeal on December 31, his legal team announced their intention to escalate the fight to the ECHR. Speaking to HotNews, Georgescu’s lawyer, Maria Vasii, stressed the importance of this move:
“The action at the ECHR is a natural and absolutely necessary step to defend the fundamental rights of Mr Călin Georgescu, an independent candidate, as well as of all Romanian citizens who deserve a fair and transparent electoral process.”
Vasii vowed to exhaust every legal and constitutional avenue to defend Georgescu’s rights and the will of the Romanian voters. According to his team, the annulment has inflicted “irreparable harm” on the human rights of citizens and cast a shadow over the country’s democratic process.
Georgescu, a populist candidate, has called for urgent measures to address the fallout, urging Romanian authorities to validate the election results and restore public confidence in democracy. In his submission to the court, he warned of the broader implications:
“Considering the electoral vacuum created by the suspension of the electoral process, the crisis of political legitimacy and the growing social protests, the impact on the fundamental rights of voters and candidates, I request that the case be tried in a speedy procedure and that urgent provisional measures be taken to prevent further damage.”
The annulment has been praised by mainstream political factions across Western Europe, with media outlets branding the election “dubious” or “rigged.” Yet, critics on the political right have denounced the move as a power grab by entrenched state actors. George Simion, leader of the populist-right AUR party, didn’t mince words:
“We are facing a coup d’etat against the will of the people,” he told European media.
Georgescu’s legal team hopes the ECHR will act swiftly to address what they see as a blatant violation of democratic principles. They argue that not only are the rights of their client at stake, but also the trust of Romanian citizens in the electoral process.
The case has highlighted deep divisions within Romanian politics and underscored the challenges of navigating allegations of foreign interference in elections. As this legal battle unfolds, it’s sure to ignite further debate about sovereignty, democracy, and the role of international courts in resolving such disputes.
