Combining elections is ‘unconstitutional’

Editor Diana Surdu reported that he Constitutional Court ruled the law on combining the parliamentary elections with the local ones unconstitutional.

The ruling was given after the judges met to discuss the challenge of USL to the law on combining the parliamentary elections with the local ones.

A week ago, the court adjourned the debate on the grounds that the Government should analyse the details on the financial impact of applying the normative act and see if 20 million euros would be saved by combining the elections like the executive estimated.

PM Emil Boc, who is also president of the party in power, the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), said that the Constitutional Court ruling would be respected and he refused to make further comments.

PDL vice president, Sorin Frunzăverde said that following the Constitutional Court ruling, the coalition would have to establish, probably during the on Monday, the calendar of the local and the parliament elections.

‘Normally, the local elections are held according to the electoral law, on the first Sunday in June. The parliamentary elections are held in November, according to law, , unless early elections have to be held,’ Sorin Frunzăverde said.

According to the calendar they will take place on the last Sunday in November, taking into account the moment when the current Parliament was installed.

USL argues that the adoption of the law was made in violation of the constitutional norms and the normative act also provides a six months extension of the mandates of local elected officials.

USL condemns the fact that such an important law has been passed without parliamentary debate, by taking responsibility.

USL representatives say that the Government has ignored the constitutional provision according to which the parliament is the sole legislative authority.

USL leaders argue that the law violates the European standards, according to which the electoral law cannot be changed if there are less than 12 months remaining until the election.

The Opposition claims that the law on combining elections violates several articles of the Constitution relating to the extension of the mandates of mayors, councilors and chairmen of county councils.

However, the Government argues that, by combining elections, around 20 million euros will be saved and the risk of election fraud will therefore be smaller. Moreover, more people will vote if simultaneous elections are held.

The Opposition challenged the law after the Government assumed responsibility for merging the elections law in 2011 and the censure motion was rejected by the Parliament.

Translated by: Denisse-Meda Bucura
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University