In a landmark decision, Romania’s Constitutional Court has annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election, ordering a complete do-over of the electoral process. The court’s 10-page ruling, published by Digi24, cites “problematic” irregularities from the outset, which it argues violated the basic principles of free and fair elections.
The judges highlighted concerns over the manipulation of voter opinion and the unequal playing field created for candidates. They pointed to the “non-obvious use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence” during the campaign, as well as the financing of campaigns from undisclosed sources, as key factors undermining the integrity of the election.
“Voters’ freedom of choice hinges on their access to accurate information and protection from undue influence,” the court stated. “Political advertising can easily morph into disinformation, especially when its political nature is concealed and originates from entities outside the European Union.”
The court specifically cited instances where voters were “misinformed” during the campaign, with one candidate allegedly gaining an unfair advantage through aggressive promotion tactics that circumvented national law and exploited social media algorithms.This campaign, the court noted, was not properly labeled as political advertising, a legal requirement, and benefited from preferential treatment by the platform (TikTok), ultimately distorting voter perceptions.
world-today-news.com/romania-court-annuls-election-results-citing-digital-manipulation/">“The use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence by candidates or participants, political parties, their supporters or sympathizers must be transparent to ensure the fairness and impartiality of elections. Or else, voters are prevented from forming an informed opinion about the candidates and the election, as they can be misinformed,”
The constitutional Court emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the use of digital tools during elections, stressing that violations should be subject to penalties. this unprecedented ruling underscores the growing concerns surrounding the impact of technology on democratic processes and the need for robust safeguards to protect the integrity of elections in the digital age.
This story was originally reported by Digi24.
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