Romanian Legal Battle: Court Challenges Ruling That Invalidated Presidential Election Results

The Ploiești Court of Appeal has ruled to annul the decision of the Romanian Constitutional Court, which had previously invalidated the results of last year’s presidential election, according to Hotnews.

This decision can be appealed within five days, and the appeal will be examined by both the Supreme Court and the Court of Cassation, which had previously rejected Calin Georgescu’s request for a repeat of the second round of voting on January 17.

Legal experts have criticized the ruling, calling it "absurd." One lawyer noted that a decision which has already entered into force cannot be overturned, and that the Constitutional Court's ruling is not an administrative act and thus cannot be challenged in an administrative court.

The appeal against the Constitutional Court's decision was filed by an individual, Georgița Popescu, just 10 days before the first round of the presidential elections.

Toni Neașcu, a lawyer and former judge, clarified that the Ploiești Court's ruling is not final, explaining that the law stipulates that no effect from a suspended administrative act can be enforced going forward.

Cristi Danilet, another former judge, firmly described the decision as a “judicial abuse.”

It is worth noting that the Constitutional Court had annulled the first round results of the election on December 6, 2024, after documents related to the country's intelligence services were declassified. The annulment had been based on findings related to Calin Georgescu, the pro-Russian candidate, who won the first round.