The Chamber of Deputies adopted, on Tuesday, the draft law that allows the date of this year's presidential elections to be brought forward from November to September, supported by the current pro-government majority. USR and Forța Dreptei attacked the legislative initiative at CCR.
This year's presidential election will be held on September 15 and 29 Photo: Shutterstock
The draft law for the amendment of art. 5 para. (1) from Law no. 370/2004, for the election of the President of Romania, was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies in the meeting on Monday, March 5, with 183 votes “for”, 84 “against” and one abstention.
The project allows the date of the presidential elections to be brought forward and their organization no more than three months before the month in which the term of President Klaus Iohannis expires.
“Election day is Sunday. Elections take place no later than 3 months before the month in which the term of office of the president will expire. At least 75 days before the voting day, the Government sets the date of the elections by decision“, provides the form adopted by the Chamber of Deputies, of the project initiated by UDMR deputies.
The legislative proposal to amend art. 5 paragraph (1) of Law no. 370/2004 for the election of the President of Romania was adopted by the Senate on February 26. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case.
According to the ruling coalition's decision, this year's presidential elections will be held on September 15 (first round) and September 29 (second round).
The project reaches the table of the CCR judges
USR and Forța Dreptei deputies referred the law to the Constitutional Court for the advance of the presidential elections, adopted by PSD, PNL and UDMR “in flagrant violation of any democratic principles”.
“We expect that the law adopted today will be declared unconstitutional or, at least, the CCR will find that the modification of the terms for the presidential elections should not concern the elections of 2024, so that we remain within the scope of the recommendations of the Venice Commission“, said Cătălin Drula, according to a USR press release.
According to the authors of the notification, “the law affects equality of opportunity, favoring parties in power or candidates with greater resources, to the detriment of candidates or parties not in power, who made their electoral strategies based on the legislation in force”.
Last but not least, changing the rules for the presidential elections just 6 months before the date circulated for them would violate the principles of predictability of rules and legal stability.
