CIVICUS discusses Romania’s elections with Iuliana Iliescu, Secretary General of Asociatia Pro Democratia, a civil society organisation working to strengthen democracy through civic participation.
Two days before the presidential run-off scheduled for 8 December, Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the first-round results after finding evidence they had been heavily influenced by a Russian propaganda operation. In the first round on 24 November, far-right nationalist Călin Georgescu unexpectedly came first. Initially seen as a minor candidate, Georgescu gained significant support by campaigning on social media, particularly TikTok, and appealing to those disaffected by mainstream politics, including young people and rural and working-class voters. Meanwhile, following the results of the 1 December parliamentary election, pro-European parties that are normally on opposite sides agreed to form a majority government to stop far-right nationalists taking control.