The Constitutional Court (CCR) has validated the results of the first round of the presidential elections, setting the stage for a second round between Călin Georgescu, the surprise winner of the first round, and Elena Lasconi, the candidate of the center-right Save Romania Union (USR).

The decision to validate the first round results comes after the court ordered a recount of the vote cast in all polling stations, valid and invalidated.

The recount was ordered after Cristian Terheș, a candidate backed by the Romanian National Conservative Party who won some 1% of the votes, filed a request alleging electoral fraud. 

Marian Enache, the head of the CCR, said the constitutional judges unanimously decided to reject the request filed by Terheș as unfounded and to confirm and validate the result of the first round of elections.

The Central Electoral Bureau submitted today the result of an incomplete recount, without the votes that had been cast abroad. The court argued that, since the diaspora votes were not contested, their recount was not necessary, he explained.

The second round of voting is scheduled for December 8. 

Who is Călin Georgescu, the surprise lead in Romania’s presidential elections?

Who is Elena Lasconi, the journalist turned mayor likely to beat PM Ciolacu for a place in the final round of Romania’s presidential elections?

(Photo: Inquam Photos/ Calin Georgescu on Facebook)

simona@romania-insider.com