The OSCE/ODIHR preliminary statement on Romania’s 2025 repeat presidential election acknowledges the efficient technical administration of the vote and respect for fundamental freedoms. However, OSCE/ODIHR raises concerns about transparency, inclusiveness, and the integrity of online campaigning, including:

• Limited transparency in election administration and underrepresentation of non-parliamentary and independent actors in electoral bodies.
• Recent legal amendments were adopted without public consultation, did not address long-standing concerns, and contributed to legal uncertainty and diminished public confidence.
• Ambiguity in candidate eligibility rules and inconsistent court decisions limited inclusiveness and reduced legal certainty.
• Fragmented oversight of online campaigning, with limited enforcement and transparency in addressing disinformation and coordinated inauthentic behavior.
• A politically influenced media landscape, which, despite its pluralism, limited the availability of impartial information to voters.
• Ineffective campaign finance regulations, marked by poor oversight and the failure to curb excessive spending.
• Isolated election-day irregularities, including compromised vote secrecy and unauthorized individuals present in polling stations.
• Uneven access to all stages of the electoral process, despite strong civic engagement.
• Many prior OSCE/ODIHR recommendations remain unaddressed, particularly those related to electoral transparency, legal clarity, and online campaigning.

The international election observation to the first round of the presidential election in Romania totalled 46 observers from 20 countries, composed of 39 ODIHR-deployed experts and long-term observers, and 7 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA.

The full OSCE/ODIHR statement is available at: https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/590330