The presidential impeachment referendum held in Romania at the end of July was invalid, the country's Constitutional Court decided after checking the electoral roll. Suspended president Traian Basescu will return at the helm of the country.

The Constitutional Court meeting on Tuesday lasted for around three hours, it was initially scheduled for the beginning of September, but the Court re-scheduled it.

Only 46.24 percent of Romanians attended the referendum, on July 29, and 87.5 percent of them voted for the impeachment of the president, according to final official data. A less than half plus one attendance of registered voters meant the vote was invalid and allowed the suspended president to return to office.

editor@romania-insider.com