Romania’s highest court has been accused of undemocratic election interference after excluding an anti-Semitic, pro-Russian and far-right candidate from the presidential vote. Romania’s Supreme Court said the move would threaten the country’s status in the European Union and NATO.
Diana Shoaca, leader of the ultra-nationalist SOS Romania party who was elected to the European Parliament in June, was banned earlier this month from running in the second round of presidential elections to be held on November 24 and December 8.
The unprecedented ruling by Romania’s Constitutional Court (CCR) has sparked criticism from Shoshoaka’s rivals across the political spectrum, including socialists, liberals and academics, with one figure saying it has implications for the Kremlin’s way of managing elections. I even pointed out how they match.
According to Alexandra Iancu, professor of political science at the University of Bucharest, this is the first time a court has expelled a candidate from a presidential election based on public statements.
“It’s confusing because there have been times when previous candidates didn’t necessarily align with democratic values,” she told POLITICO. “But this issue has never been raised before.” “This is the first time the court is looking at the values and principles of the Constitution and making sure the nominee demonstrates them.”
The court’s decision sparked an angry and anti-Semitic response from Shoshoaka, who, without evidence, accused the EU, Jews, Americans and the French, along with the court itself, of plotting against her.
Based on his public speeches and available positions, the CCR made a public judgment that, as president, Shoshoaka cannot respect the country’s constitution and protect democracy, while also threatening Romania’s membership of NATO and the EU.
The court said it observed “Mrs. Diana Ivanovic-Shoshoaka’s constant promotion of anti-democratic and anti-Semitic discourse” and “systematic, persistent and long-term actions aimed at undermining the constitutional foundations of the Romanian state.” In other words, it guarantees Romania’s membership in Euro-Atlantic structures.”
Shoshoaka has previously called on the EU to stop providing weapons to Kiev in defiance of a full-scale invasion by Russian President Vladimir Putin and even said Romania should annex some Ukrainian territories.
In an interview with POLITICO last week, she criticized Israel, the United States, and both countries’ secret services, claiming they “influenced the court’s decision” but provided no evidence for her claims.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest told POLITICO: “The U.S. government supports the independence of Romanian courts and has no influence on their decisions.” The Israeli embassy did not respond to a request for comment.
Questions about independence
But Shoshoaka was not the only key figure who was dumbfounded by the court’s ruling.
Among her opponents, socialist Prime Minister and current presidential candidate Marcel Ciolacu and Eugen Tomac, a lawmaker from the liberal European Renewal Group in Brussels, said they supported the ruling despite their fierce disagreements with Shoshoaka on policy. was critical of it.
“Diana şoşoacă represents everything evil in Romanian politics,” Tomac told POLITICO.
But such reckless politicians should not be stopped using Putin-style methods, Tomac added. “The decision of the Constitutional Court is questionable and difficult to understand. şoşoacă must be removed by the voters at the polls or sanctioned by those who defend dignity and civil rights through democratic procedures.”
Recent presidential election polls suggest the race will be tight, with Ciolacu (20.3%) and independent former NATO deputy secretary-general Mircea Gioana (21.4%) advancing to the second round of voting. Before the expulsion, şoşoacă ranked fourth at the time with an approval rating of about 13.6%.
According to political analyst Iancu, George Simion of the more prominent far-right party, the Union for Romanian Unity (AUR), is likely to win votes that would otherwise have gone to şoşoacă.
şoşoacă called on Ciolacu and Geoană to withdraw from the presidential election so they could restart the election and submit candidates again. Both major candidates rejected the idea.
But Ciolacu said the court’s decision “strengthens the debate about the need for broader reform of the CCR.”
“This discussion must be based on the reality that current procedures transform the CCR into a court that does not give parties the right to defend or appeal. The only reasonable and serious discussion in society should be about the reform of the CCR. . And that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
But Iancu said CCR reform had been discussed for a long time and no politician could succeed. Because ultimately “all laws belong to the CCR.”
“Nothing will happen in the Constitutional Court,” he said.
CCR declined POLITICO’s request for an interview “to avoid partisan speculation.”
The court said, “The judge’s statements or interviews are inappropriate during the start and conduct of the election campaign.”
It remains to be seen whether this court ruling will also give strength to Simeon, another far-right candidate. But it certainly threw the campaign into disarray.
