Romania's May repeat presidential election was efficiently managed, and recent efforts by the authorities to improve electoral integrity were notable. However, the repeat presidential election was marked by insufficient oversight of key aspects of the campaign and concerns over the widespread use of inauthentic behaviour by candidates online. The fundamental freedoms of association and assembly were respected, and voters had a genuine choice of political alternatives. At the same time, the use of eligibility requirements based on court rulings rather than clear legal provisions undermined the inclusivity of candidate registration. Oversight of the online space remained fragmented, and the lack of transparency in the handling of reported violations discouraged public engagement and resulted in self-censorship.
These are some of the main conclusions from the final report , published today by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The report offers recommendations to bring elections in Romania closer in line with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections.
Key recommendations include:
- Making greater efforts to promote women's political participation
- Increasing legal clarity by considering adoption of a unified electoral code for all election types
- Ensuring legal certainty by formalizing amendments introduced through Government Emergency Ordinances or Constitutional Court rulings through the regular parliamentary process with public consultation
- Enhancing transparency and confidence by opening election administration sessions to observers and media
- Protecting the right to stand for election by ensuring candidate eligibility is assessed based on clear, objective criteria established by law rather than Constitutional Court rulings
- Reviewing regulations to ensure social networking platforms implement effective measures against coordinated inauthentic behaviour and disinformation while safeguarding space for genuine political debate online
- Ensuring full transparency of political parties' media expenditures to enable the public to understand the final beneficiaries
- Reviewing the electoral dispute-resolution framework to allow adequate time for the preparation and adjudication of complaints in order to guarantee effective remedy and due process.
The ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission to Romania, headed by Eoghan Murphy, started work on 23 March and remained in the country until 25 May.
ODIHR assessed Romania's efforts to implement previous recommendations. Many previous recommendations remain unaddressed, including those on consolidating the electoral legislation, ensuring transparency and equitable political representation in the election administration, and establishing clear procedures for the verification of support signatures. A full list of recommendations can be found on pages 28-31 of today's report.
All 57 OSCE participating States have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations. The ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database tracks the extent to which recommendations are implemented across the region.
