Romania faces recount in divisive election

(CLO) The Romanian Constitutional Court (CCR) has ordered a recount of the first round of the presidential election on November 24, after far-right candidate Calin Georgescu unexpectedly won.

The decision was announced on Thursday, amid fierce debate among candidates and concerns about outside influence.

Romania's election results spark protests in Bucharest. Photo: Getty

The CCR issued a statement saying: "The court unanimously ordered the verification and recount of ballots cast in the November 24 presidential election." However, the petition to annul the first round election results was rejected due to being submitted late.

Calin Georgescu, the far-right pro-Russian candidate, won 22.9% of the vote in the first round, beating initial predictions. His opponent in the second round, Elena Lasconi, from the Western-leaning Save Romania Union party, won more than 19%.

Georgescu, a little-known independent before the election, quickly won over voters with his support for traditional values, criticism of NATO and praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lasconi, meanwhile, is a strong supporter of Ukraine and has pledged to protect Romania’s role in NATO.

Reacting to the announcement of the recount, Mr Georgescu accused state agencies of trying to "deny the people's choice". In turn, Lasconi criticized the CCR's decision, calling it "a horrifying act for a democratic country".

One notable allegation is that the TikTok app is said to have favored Georgescu during the election campaign. Mr. Georgescu used the platform to share judo videos and campaign messages, attracting a large number of young voters.

Romania's National Media Council has called on the European Commission to investigate TikTok's role in the November 24 election. TikTok denies the allegations, saying: "There was no special treatment given to Mr. Georgescu's account compared to other candidates."

Romania is facing deep divisions ahead of the second round of elections on December 8, with two distinct groups of anti-Western and pro-Western voters.

Elena Lasconi described the election as “a life-and-death battle for Romanian democracy”. However, Mr Georgescu’s victory also showed that the country’s Western-oriented political system was in trouble.

Hong Hanh (DW, AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/romania-phai-kiem-phieu-lai-trong-cuoc-bau-cu-day-chia-re-post323411.html