Romanian govt. must explain annulment of presidential elections, reformist opposition says

Reformist politicians and presidential hopefuls Nicușor Dan and Elena Lasconi both argued that the current government must explain why the December 2024 presidential elections were cancelled before setting the dates of a new election.

The current government, made up of a three-party coalition between the Social Democrats (PSD), National Liberal Party (PNL), the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR, and other MPs representing the ethnic minority groups in Romania, is reportedly eager to set the dates of the presidential elections sometime in the spring.

The government, which has a slim majority of just 7 votes in the legislative, is also looking to back a single candidate to face off against the reformist and far-right opposition candidates. The chosen candidate, former PNL leader Crin Antonescu, however, decided to step back from the role.

Now, leaders of the reformist center-right opposition, such as Bucharest mayor and independent candidate for president Nicușor Dan, and USR leader Elena Lasconi, who came in second in the first round of the now-annulled presidential elections, say that the government has not properly explained the annulment.

“I disagree [...] on the urgency of the electoral calendar. It is more important to clarify the situation than to rush. The annulment of the elections is a very significant matter, and we must be convinced and clear that it was the right decision. For now, we do not have that clarity," said Nicușor Dan on Sunday, January 5, during an interview cited by Libertatea.

The mayor added that president Klaus Iohannis, whose mandate was extended until the new elections, should provide clarifications as the head of the Supreme Council of National Defense, or CSAT, the source of the information that led to the annulment of the elections by the Constitutional Court.

Nicușor Dan also pointed out that those who supported Călin Georgescu, the far-right presidential candidate, deserve an explanation for the annulment of the elections. "These people need an explanation. Otherwise, we risk losing the trust of a large category of Romanians in the fundamental institution of democracy," the Bucharest mayor said.

Similar statements came from Elena Lasconi, president of USR and presumptive presidential candidate. "Exactly one month ago, the presidential elections in Romania were annulled. Even today, we do not know exactly why! CCR's decision from a month ago has divided us into two camps: some who sighed in relief and say it was the only solution to protect democracy, and us, the others, who have warned that we are dealing with a brutal act, contrary to democracy, which could have major long-term effects," Lasconi wrote on Facebook.