Elena Lasconi, Romania’s pro-Western presidential candidate, has called on the government to explain the annulment of the 2024 presidential election, a move that she says has left the country in turmoil.
On January 6, she took to social media, expressing frustration over the lack of clarity from officials about why the December vote was scrapped.
“Even today, we don’t know exactly why!” she wrote on Facebook, noting that the Romanian Constitutional Court’s decision has sharply divided the nation. While some viewed the cancellation as necessary due to alleged Russian interference via TikTok, others deemed it a blow to democracy. However, no evidence supporting claims of Kremlin involvement has been presented, leaving the public in the dark.
Lasconi stressed that the Romanian state owes its people transparency. “If something so serious happened that a presidential election was cancelled, how come no one is guilty of anything? How come we don’t have people responsible for this?” she questioned, directly calling out incumbent President Klaus Iohannis and other top officials for their silence.
Adding to her concerns, Lasconi criticized the lack of progress in scheduling a new election date. Despite initial reports suggesting the first round might be rescheduled for March 23, with a second round on April 6, no official dates have been confirmed. Some sources now speculate the election may not happen until May.
Lasconi claimed government officials were more focused on persuading her to withdraw from the race than on setting a new timeline. “Every time I stood face to face with [Prime Minister] Marcel Ciolacu and [Senate President] Ilie Bolojan, they clearly said these elections are a priority for Romania. Yet they asked me to withdraw from this race. That was their priority!” she alleged.
Bolojan dismissed her criticisms, suggesting that her confrontational tone undermined her position. “I have tried all these years not to curse someone for free and then ask them the next day to support me,” he retorted, hinting that cooperation would be crucial for securing second-round votes.
Meanwhile, the ruling coalition faces internal struggles with its lead candidate, Crin Antonescu. Initially rumored to be stepping away from his candidacy, Antonescu later clarified his stance. He said he wasn’t abandoning the race but was suspending his agreement with the coalition until two key issues were resolved: the election date and the coalition’s commitment to his candidacy.
“I have said nothing other than that I am suspending the agreement…until we clarify two things,” Antonescu explained. “I’ve put all the steps on hold until things are clear.”
As Romania grapples with the fallout of the annulled election, frustration and uncertainty loom large, leaving the public and candidates alike demanding answers.
