Romania is counting presidential ballots on the eve of parliamentary elections

Counting of votes in last week’s dramatic first-round presidential election began in Romania on Friday amid fears the ballot could be annulled as authorities pointed to Russian influence and alleged interference via TikTok.

Chaos reigned in Romania after a high court ordered a recount in the first round of voting won by Celin Georgescu, a little-known far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The EU country, meanwhile, is gearing up for legislative elections on Sunday, with the far-right hoping to build on the momentum created by their latest success.

The parliamentary elections will be closely watched by the West due to fears that the votes may indicate a change in the foreign policy of the NATO country.

Stacks of bags filled with first-round ballots, including absentee ballots from abroad, were delivered to local election offices across the country on Friday, with the recount process expected to take three days or longer.

The Constitutional Court’s order for a recount, which is due to convene on December 2 to rule on the application to annul the failed presidential candidate, has sparked a politicized reaction in Romania.

The center-right party Union Save Romania (USR) filed a complaint. Its leader, the mayor of a small town, Elena Lasconi, who took second place, accused the court of opposing the “will” of millions of Romanians.

The Liberals also criticized what they called a “confused” decision that “stirs up anxiety and tension.”

Independent observers from several civil society organizations said they were denied access to the vote count, raising concerns about the transparency of the election process.

– “Stolen, fake” elections –

Amid heightened concern about a possible repeal, uncertainty among voters was palpable on Romania’s streets and dominated discussions on social media.

“A large part of Romanian society is shocked, another part is euphoric,” political scientist Remus Stefureac told AFP.

Although the authorities claimed irregularities and interference in the election, shocked first-round winner Georgescu defended the legitimacy of the vote.

According to Romania’s Supreme Council of National Defense, TikTok gave Georgescu “preferential treatment,” which it said led to his “massive exposure,” a claim the social network “categorically” denied.

The Defense Council also said officials had detected “cyber-attacks aimed at affecting the integrity of the electoral process,” reporting a “growing interest” from Russia to “influence the public agenda in Romanian society.”

Prime Minister Marcel Cholaku, who failed to make it to the second round of the presidential election scheduled for December 8, called it a potentially “flawed, stolen” election, stressing that he would not take part in a possible repeat vote.

– The ultra-right is looking for profits –

The two main parties have shaped the country’s politics for the past three decades, but analysts predict Sunday’s vote will result in a fragmented parliament, affecting the chances of forming a future government.

The far-right currently leads the polls with more than 30 percent.

The country of 19 million has so far resisted rising nationalism in the region, but experts say it faces an unprecedented situation as anger grows over soaring inflation.

Several parties are participating in Sunday’s elections.

Far-right parties include the AUR party, whose leader George Simion won nearly 14 percent of the presidential vote, and the far-right SOS Romania party, led by fan Diana Sosoaca.

The recently founded Party of Young People (POT), which entered the political scene after Georgescu’s surprise victory, has meanwhile backed him and could reach the five percent threshold to enter parliament.

“We are here, standing, alive, more numerous than ever, and we have a tremendous opportunity before us,” Simion, an admirer of US President-elect Donald Trump, recently told his supporters.

Lasconi’s pro-EU USR party is hoping to come out on top, warning that the country faces an “existential battle”, a “historic confrontation” between those who want to “save Romania’s young democracy” and those who want to “return to Russia”. sphere of influence”.

The ruling Social Democrats (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL), which were defeated in the presidential elections, focused their campaigns on their “experience”.

“The political scene has completely reset,” said expert Stefuryak, adding that 2025 “will be extremely difficult in terms of security risks” amid the war in neighboring Ukraine.

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