Unfair Elections
On the 24th of November, 2024, Romania held the first round of presidential elections.
Unknown candidate Calin Georgescu finished first, sparking widespread public outcry and suspicions of electoral fraud. His success surprised most people. Shortly after the announcement of preliminary results, rumours of foreign interference in the electoral process began to circulate.
On the 6th of December, 2024, the Constitutional Court of Romania ruled to annul the results of the first round of elections due to serious irregularities. These included signs of foreign interference, including the use of fake social media accounts that could influence voters’ choices.
The court’s decision led to the call for new elections, highlighting the importance of ensuring transparency and fairness in democratic processes.
The Outcome of Events: National Authorities
The Prosecutor General Office of Romania opened two criminal cases on interference in the elections. One of the main aspects of the investigation concerned attempts of foreign forces to influence the elections through fake accounts, such as TikTok, where twenty-five thousand fake accounts were identified.
Romania has also strengthened the protection of its electoral system from external threats, such as cyberattacks and information manipulation, long overdue.
Additional security measures were developed, including monitoring online platforms and cooperation with international partners in the field of cyber defense. National authorities announced the creation of special working groups to quickly respond to any threats ahead of the repeat elections.
The Future of Romania’s Elections
The annulment of the first round of elections shows how vulnerable Romania’s democratic processes are to outside interference. The incident is an important lesson for other countries in the region, highlighting the need to strengthen the defense of their electoral systems against such threats.
The rerun of presidential elections in Romania will be held on the 4th and 18th of May later this year. The first round of elections will be held on 4 May, and the second on 18 May, if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round.
Interference in the 2024 presidential elections in Romania exposes the vulnerability of European democratic processes. The authorities have strengthened the security of the electoral system, including protection against cyberattacks and fake social media accounts, to prevent such incidents from happening again.
The rerun of national elections in May this year will be an important lesson for other countries, in Central and Eastern Europe, reminding them of the need to protect democratic processes from external threats.
