Romania’s president defends Constitutional Court annulment of presidential elections
<p>The grounds for the annulment of the 2024 presidential elections are in the Constitutional Court’s ruling, president Klaus Iohannis said when asked to comment on the Venice Commission’s recommendations on the best practices for scrapping elections.</p>

<p>“In the [according to the] Constitution, the Constitutional Court (CCR) validates or invalidates the presidential elections. I hear voices in our audience that someone needs to come and explain what happened: it is written in the motivation of the CCR that came up with the decision. There, we can see why the decision was made,” president Iohannis said, quoted by <a href="https://www.g4media.ro/live-klaus-iohannis-sustine-declaratii-de-presa-presedintele-participa-la-reuniunea-informala-a-liderilor-uniunii-europene-prima-activitate-oficiala-din-acest-an.html?mc_cid=5d1e450414&amp;mc_eid=cd1f92f96c" rel="noopener" target="_blank">G4media.ro</a>.</p>

<p>Last week, the <a href="https://www.romania-insider.com/vencie-commission-report-election-cancelation-romania-january-2025" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Venice Commission issued a set of principles</a> that must be universally observed when, under extraordinary circumstances, the electoral process is annulled. On the top of the list: it is not the Constitutional Court that makes this decision, and there must be a way of appeal. Plus, evidence for the decision must be provided.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu has recently joined the opposition in urging the Constitutional Court or any other authority to explain the reasons behind the decision.</p>

<p><em>iulian@romania-insider.com</em></p>

<p><em>(Photo source: Presidency.ro)</em></p>