The United States has called on all political factions in Romania to engage in a peaceful and democratic process after the country’s top court scrapped its presidential election amid allegations of foreign interference, particularly from Russia, which reportedly supported the far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu.
Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesperson, condemned the political mess, calling on all sides to respect Romania‘s constitutional order and to make the electoral process free of violence and intimidation threats. He urged that the process should reflect the will of the Romanian people.
The cancellation of the election was done just days before the run-off between the presidential candidates. The pro-European Union President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, who is in power now, confirmed that he would remain in his position until the new government from the legislative elections held last weekend takes over. The new government will set a date for the rescheduled presidential election.
Miller reiterated the trust of United States in Romania‘s democratic institutions and vowed to support investigations on possible Russian interference. He also restated Washington‘s confidence in Romania processes, ensuring that the systems of democracy are not eroded.
Romanian authorities had sounded the alarm when far-right candidate Georgescu topped the first round of voting on November 24. His surprise rise was causing anxiety in the European Union and NATO, with Romania sharing a border with Ukraine. On Wednesday, the Romanian presidency declassified documents outlining accusations against Georgescu and his ties to Russia. According to the documents, social media campaigns and cyberattacks were used to prop up his candidacy.
However, Russia denied such claims vehemently. It termed such accusations “absurd.“ According to foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow would have no way of meddling with the Romanian political agenda. Foreign powers interfere in the processes of holding democratic elections, according to many questions, raised within the European Union.
As the events unfold, Romania will continue to stay in the global spotlight, as the United States and other international observers watch closely to see what the country does next. The ability of Romania to stand by its democratic principles in light of foreign interference allegations will be a moment of truth for the nation as it tries to regain stability and continue its role within the European Union and NATO.
