Romania’s constitutional court on Thursday unanimously rejected a bid by far-right candidate George Simion to annul the results of Sunday’s presidential election rerun, dismissing claims of foreign interference as unfounded.
Simion, a pro-Trump nationalist who opposes military aid to Ukraine and is critical of the EU, had alleged a coordinated attempt by foreign actors, including France and Moldova, to sway the outcome of the vote. He was defeated by centrist candidate and Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan, who won with 53.6% of the vote to Simion’s 46.4%.
“The constitutional court unanimously rejected the request as unfounded,” the court said in a statement, adding that its decision was final. The ruling paves the way for formal validation of the results later on Thursday.
Following the verdict, Simion posted on social media, calling the decision part of a “continued coup” and urged supporters to mobilise in the coming weeks.
Simion acknowledged the vote count was accurate but claimed prior interference influenced the institutional and media environment ahead of the ballot. Romania’s permanent electoral authority dismissed the allegations, saying the election was held “in a climate of integrity, fairness and transparency”.
The rerun was held after the initial November 2024 election was annulled due to campaign financing violations and evidence of Russian interference. The original winner, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu, was barred from the second vote and is under investigation for misuse of digital tools and promoting fascist ideologies. He denies wrongdoing.
Dan, a mathematician and former civic activist, is now tasked with forming a new ruling coalition and addressing Romania’s growing budget deficit, currently the largest in the EU.
“Romania will maintain its pro-Western direction, including participation in NATO, EU membership, and our strategic partnership with the United States,” Dan said. “But credibility in these structures depends on fiscal responsibility.”