U.S. DOS human rights report on Romania mentions annulment of 2024 presidential election

In its report on human rights practices in Romania in 2024 published on Tuesday on the department's website, the U.S. Department of State mentions the annulment by court ruling of the results of the first round of the 2024 presidential election and the fact that the ruling was criticised as political interference in an election and an undue restriction on disfavoured political speech of an unprecedented nature and severity.

"On December 6, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the country's presidential election held November 24, ruling that 'multiple irregularities and breaches of electoral law... compromised the transparency and fairness of the electoral campaign' and raised suspicions regarding the fairness of the conduct of elections. The court's ruling was criticized as political interference in an election and an undue restriction on disfavoured political speech of an unprecedented nature and severity," according to the report.

The Constitutional Court's decision portrayed the election as having been unduly influenced by a Russian information operation on social media, but independent observers suggested that the social media campaign in question was an organic election activity by a Romanian political party, reads the report.

The report also says that significant human rights issues in 2024 in Romania included credible reports of restrictions on freedom of expression, and crimes, violence, or threats of violence motivated by antisemitism. The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, but in some cases government actions were insufficient and impunity was a problem.

The annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - the Human Rights Report - cover the status of internationally recognised human rights and worker rights. The U.S. Department of State submits reports on all countries receiving assistance and all United Nations member states to the U.S. Congress in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974.