Romania's top court postpones decision on presidential election
World
Romania's top court postpones decision on presidential election
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's top court on Friday postponed a decision on whether to annul the result of the first round of a presidential election until Dec. 2, after a shock result that caused suspicions of interference in the campaign.
The court will now issue its ruling the day after Sunday's parliamentary election.
Independent far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, 62, finished first in last Sunday's vote and secured a place in a run-off scheduled for Dec. 8. Victory in the second round would upend Romania's politics and could undermine its pro-Western stance.
Romanian authorities say they have found evidence of meddling in the election campaign by hostile actors, and the NATO and European Union member state is awaiting a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to validate the results.
The court has ordered a recount of the 9.46 million votes cast in the first round while also considering a request made by a defeated conservative candidate to annul the first round of voting.
The uncertainty over the presidential election has caused political chaos and confusion as the country of 19 million prepares for Sunday's parliamentary election, in which the far-right is expected to make gains.
