Senate Passes Amendments To Law Regarding Romanian Presidential Elections

[ Romanian Version HERE ]

BUCHAREST (MEDIAFAX) - Romania’s Senate has passed on Tuesday a Social Democrat Party (PSD) bill which amends the law regarding presidential elections, with voters now being eligible to sign in support of multiple candidates and harsher fines for violating the law.

The social democrat's bill was passed with 70 votes for, 15 against and 12 abstentions. Romania’s Lower Chamber will vote on the project as a deciding body.

The new form of the law makes it possible for voters to support multiple candidates in raising the necessary signatures to take part in the elections. The law maintains a 200,000 signatures threshold needed to validate candidates.

In the current form of the law, a voter can support only one candidate in reaching the required number of signatures.

Fines applied for violating provisions of the law have also been doubled. Election organizers will now be fined with RON5,000 if they are found to have allowed or participated in electoral propaganda in polling stations, printed unauthorized ballots or performed any other acts forbidden by the electoral law.

Heads of local or general electoral bureaus will also be fined between RON10,000-50,000 for refusing to acknowledge contestations or notifications regarding unlawful activity.

Romania is next due to have presidential elections in 2019, with President Klaus Iohannis having announced his intention to run for re-election.