Romania: Top courts rejects appeal to annul election results – DW – 05/22/2025
Romania's Constitutional Court on Thursday validated the results of the presidential runoff vote, which was won by Nicusor Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest.
Prior to the ruling, the court unanimously rejected an appeal by his far-right rival, George Simion, who lost the race decisively on Sunday.
Dan beat him with 53.6% of the vote in the runoff, winning by more than 829,000 votes. In the first-round vote on May 4, Simion won almost twice as many votes as Dan.
Simion filed the request, alleging interference by France and Moldova. However, both election authorities and independent observers said the election was well organized.
What did the president-elect say?
The court then held a short ceremony attended by Dan, who is expected to be sworn in as president on Monday.
"I want to thank the Romanian people who turned out in great numbers for the May elections and, in doing so, gave legitimacy to the new president," Dan said at the court. "A new chapter is beginning in Romania's recent and contemporary history. I want to assure Romanian citizens that I understand the responsibility of the mandate they have entrusted to me."
The 55-year-old former mathematician and civic activist stressed that "many challenges" lie ahead in a deeply divided country, but he hopes that "we will successfully overcome all of them."
Pro-EU Nicosur Dan wins Romanian presidential election
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Simion vows to fight on
After his request for an annulment was rejected, Simion posted on Facebook that the court "has continued its coup d'etat!"
"All we can do is fight! I invite you to join me, today and in the weeks to come!" he posted.
Six months ago, the Constitutional Court canceled Romania's initial presidential election, in which the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu led after the first round.
The unprecedented decision followed allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow denied. Georgescu was barred from taking part in the re-run.
The election turmoil has plunged Romania into its worst political crisis in decades, exacerbated by the war in neighboring Ukraine and a substantial budget deficit.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?
US tariff negotiations with key trading partners have shifted into high gear as economies race to avoid steeper duties before an August 1 deadline. Many of these tariff hikes were part of a package first announced in April, under which dozens of economies were due to face higher levies -- up from a 10 percent level -- over their trade surpluses with the United States. The twice-postponed deadline for duties to take effect is now Friday, August 1. But Washington has expanded its group of targets coming up against these tariffs, while announcing agreements with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. A deal with the European Union unveiled on Sunday sees a 15 percent tariff imposed on European exports to the United States, down from the 30 percent that Trump earlier threatened. Where do other US trade talks stand? Seoul is racing to reach a deal with Washington, as Tokyo's success in landing an agreement has "amped up the pressure for South Korea," a government source told AFP. Local media reported that Seoul was preparing to propose more than $100 billion in investment as part of a broader agreement, with expected participation by major firms such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor. The South Korean government did not confirm this. But South Korean officials have outlined proposals to deepen collaboration in sectors like shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak has told reporters that the two countries are in "the final and most crucial phase of negotiations" to avert Trump's proposed 25 percent duty. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Bloomberg Television Thursday that he was optimistic his country could reach an agreement with the United States to avert Washington's 26 percent tariff threat. Goyal insisted there were not any sticking points in the US-India relationship or in trade talks, and clarified that immigration rules --- including those around H-1B visas for skilled workers -- had not come up in negotiations. Despite Goyal's remarks, local media reported the prospects of an interim deal before August 1 had dimmed. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said Thursday that officials are "working hard" on negotiations, amid worries that an unfavorable tariff level could hit the self-ruled island's economy. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Taipei's negotiating team was "working almost 24 hours a day to achieve trade balance and Taiwan's industrial interests, and even to further deepen cooperation." Although Canada and Mexico were spared from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs announced in April, goods from both countries entering the United States generally face a separate 25 percent duty if they fall outside a North American trade pact. This figure stands to jump to 30 percent for Mexico come August 1, while the level for Canada was set at 35 percent. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration was "doing everything" possible to avert the duties and that she would speak with Trump if necessary to try to reach a pact. Trump told reporters Friday there was no deal with Canada so far. Brazil is girding for a virtual trade embargo on its planes, grains and other goods if Trump's threatened 50 percent tariff on its exports takes effect on August 1. The United States runs a trade surplus with Latin America's biggest economy, which was not originally expected to face steeper tariffs under Trump's "reciprocal" duties plan. Trump has not attempted to hide the political motivation in targeting Brazil, citing a judicial "witch hunt" against his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, when he unveiled the tariff rate. The political nature of the spat makes a last-minute deal appear less likely.
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
EU-US trade deal: European leaders back plan after tensions – DW – 07/28/2025
Germany's Friedrich Merz welcomes US-EU trade pact, saying it avoids "needless escalation in transatlantic trade relations." While specifics are yet to be disclosed, deal marks a pivotal moment following tensions. The US and EU have announced a trade deal that would set tariffs at 15% for European goods, including automobiles. "This is the biggest deal ever made," Trump said, lauding EU plans to dramatically increase its purchases of US energy and military equipment as part of the deal. Trump said the tariff rate would apply to "automobiles and everything else" but not pharmaceuticals — top good the US imported from the EU last year — and metals. The baseline 15% tariff will still be seen by many in Europe as too high, compared with Europe's initial hopes to secure a zero-for-zero tariff the US and European Union reached a trade deal, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof thanked the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her "determined efforts to secure the best possible outcome for our businesses and consumers." "Of course, no tariffs would have been better, but this agreement provides more clarity for our businesses and brings more market stability," Schoof posted on X. He added that the Netherlands' annual goods exports to the US are worth over €50 billion ($58 billion). German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the trade agreement between the European Union and the US which will see a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the US. "We have thus managed to preserve our fundamental interests, even if I would have wished for more relief in transatlantic trade," Merz said ina government statement issued on Sunday evening. The no-deal scenario would have "hit the export-oriented German economy hard," according to Merz. He added that this applied in particular to the automotive industry, where the current tariffs of 27.5% have been almost halved. The US is Germany's main trading partner. The EU and US have struck a trade deal, with both sides touting the enormity of the deal after months of tensions over the impact of tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, describing US President Donald Trump as a tough negotiator, said the deal "will bring stability." She later told reporters that the tariff level on cars was "the best we could get." Though specifics are yet to be revealed, she also told reporters that bilateral tariff exemptions had been agreed on for a number of "strategic products" like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, generic pharmaceuticals and critical raw materials.
Int'l Business Times
6 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
What We Know So Far About The EU-US Trade Deal
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen clinched an agreement Sunday with US President Donald Trump to avoid crippling tariffs from hitting the bloc, with both leaders hailing a "good deal". The stakes were high with a looming August 1 deadline and $1.9 trillion transatlantic trading relationship on the line. Many European businesses will breathe a sigh of relief after the leaders agreed the 27-country bloc will face a baseline levy of 15 percent instead of a threatened 30 percent -- but the deal will not satisfy everyone. Here is what we know so far: Both sides confirmed there will be a 15-percent across-the-board rate on a majority of EU goods -- the same level secured by Japan this month -- with bilateral tariff exemptions on some products. The deal will bring relief for the bloc's auto sector, employing around 13 million people -- and hit by Trump with 25-percent tariffs, on top of a pre-existing 2.5 percent. "Obviously, it is good news for the car industry. So Germany will be happy. And all the EU members with auto supply chains, they go from 27.5 to 15 percent," said Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute For International Economics. A 15-percent levy will remain "costly" for German automakers, "but it is manageable", said trade geopolitics expert Elvire Fabry at the Jacques Delors Institute. While 15 percent is much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods -- averaging 4.8 percent -- it mirrors the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10 percent imposed by Trump since April. The EU also committed to buy $750 billion of liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels from the United States -- split equally over three years -- to replace Russian energy sources. And it will pour $600 billion more in additional investments in the United States. Trump said EU countries -- which recently pledged to ramp up their defence spending within NATO -- would be purchasing "hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of military equipment". Von der Leyen said the 15-percent rate applied across most sectors, including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals -- a critical export for Ireland, which the bloc has sought to protect. Trump in April launched probes that could lead to significantly steeper tariffs on the two key sectors, warning this month he could slap 200-percent levies on drugs. Brussels and Washington agreed a bilateral tariff exemption for key goods including aircraft, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products and critical raw materials, von der Leyen said. The EU currently faces 50-percent tariffs on its steel exports to the United States, but von der Leyen said a compromise on the metal had been reached with Trump. "Between us, tariffs will be cut and a quota system will be put in place," she said. It is understood that European steel would be hit with 50-percent levies only after a certain amount of the metal arrived in the United States, but no details were initially provided on the mechanism. The deal needs to be approved by EU member states, whose ambassadors will meet first thing Monday morning for a debrief from the European Commission. And there are still technical talks to come, since the agreement needs to be fully fleshed out. Von der Leyen described the deal as a "framework" agreement. "Details have to be sorted out, and that will happen over the next weeks," she said. In particular, she said there has yet to be a final decision on alcohol, critical since France and The Netherlands have been pushing for carve-outs for wine and beer respectively. "This is something which has to be sorted out in the next days," von der Leyen said.
