Avoid Last-Minute Electoral Changes: Key Measures for Romania
Emergency ordinances on electoral matters in Romania should be restricted according to the recommendation by the Council of Europe Congress.
Want a stabler electoral landscape in Romania? Here's what you should steer clear of: last-minute shifts in electoral laws and emergency ordinances, especially for politically sensitive matters. That's according to a recent report from the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, presented at their 48th session on March 26. The report raised red flags over an emergency ordinance combining Romania's 2024 local and European Parliament elections on the same day, a decision made just months before the vote.
To grasp the details, sign up to Romania Insider (or log in if you're already a member). The report emphasized the importance of a unified electoral code developed through broad and inclusive consultations.
The assessment was based on a fact-finding visit held on October 24, 2024, in Bucharest, initiated by the Congress Monitoring Committee in response to a complaint alleging irregularities in the June 2024 local elections.
The report underscored the significance of electoral stability and highlighted that the decision to resort to the emergency ordinance could have been avoided, a view shared by the Venice Commission in its opinion published on March 14, 2024.
What can Romania do now? To maintain electoral integrity and stability, consider the following measures based on recent developments and expert insights:
Strengthening Electoral Cybersecurity
With evidence of cyberattacks on electoral IT systems and social media manipulation via TikTok, Romania should:1. Adopt EU-standard cybersecurity protocols for election infrastructure, including real-time threat monitoring and stress-testing systems ahead of polls.2. Mandate transparency in digital campaigning by requiring platforms to disclose algorithmic amplification of political content and foreign ad funding.
Constitutional and Legal Safeguards
The annulled November 2024 election exposed gaps in electoral dispute resolution. Reforms should:1. Establish fixed review periods for electoral laws, prohibiting amendments within 12 months of elections to prevent last-minute changes.2. Clarify constitutional thresholds for annulling elections, balancing fraud prevention with voter disenfranchisement risks.
Multi-Stakeholder Oversight
Given the distrust in institutions, broader participation is essential:1. Expand election observation to include civil society groups and international bodies like the Council of Europe preemptively, not just post-crisis.2. Create a cross-party parliamentary commission to audit electoral processes annually, similar to the EU’s proposed DSA investigation model.
Public Confidence Building
Addressing voter disillusionment requires:1. Civic education programs focused on disinformation resilience, particularly for youth vulnerable to TikTok-based manipulation.2. Transparent candidate vetting mechanisms to mitigate risks from extremist candidates.
These steps align with the Council of Europe’s emphasis on procedural consistency while addressing Romania-specific vulnerabilities exposed in the 2024-2025 electoral crisis.
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is a Council of Europe institution tasked with strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. The body is composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, bringing together 612 elected officials representing more than 130,000 local and regional authorities.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)
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- In the wake of the 2024-2025 electoral crisis in Romania, the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has emphasized the need for Rome to avoid last-minute changes in electoral laws and emergency ordinances, particularly for sensitive political matters, as highlighted in their recent report.
- To maintain electoral integrity and stability, Romania might consider recounting the significance of adopting EU-standard cybersecurity protocols for election infrastructure, including real-time threat monitoring and stress-testing systems ahead of polls, as suggested after evidence of cyberattacks and social media manipulation.
- In attempt to prevent irregularities, Romania should strengthen its policy-and-legislation by establishing fixed review periods for electoral laws, prohibiting amendments within 12 months of elections, as recommended in response to the annulled November 2024 election.
- In an effort to increase public confidence and address voter disillusionment, Romania may want to focus on general-news topics such as implementing civic education programs centered on disinformation resilience, particularly for youth exposed to TikTok-based manipulation.
