Romania. The presidential elections are invalidated, the president's mandate will expire soon. Who will rule the country?

Romania's constitutional court invalidated the first round of the presidential elections on Friday. Their second round was to take place on Sunday. The court's statement said that the electoral process would be conducted in its entirety again, with the government setting a new election date and a calendar of necessary actions.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Council of National Defense (CSAT) revealed the reports of the Romanian intelligence serviceswhich show that during the first round there were organized cyberattacks on electoral systems in which an external “state actor” was involved.

Romanians have over three months until the next presidential election, which was ordered by the court. According to experts, they may take place in March at the earliest, considering that the entire electoral process is to be carried out again, starting from the nomination and registration of candidates. The key question in this situation is who will take Klaus Iohannis's place after his mandate expires on December 21.

The media and experts, analyzing Romanian regulations, indicate that the most likely scenario is that the new president of the Senate will take over the duties of the head of state. Article 98(1) of the constitution states that in the event of a vacancy in the position of president, the president of the Senate or the president of the Chamber of Deputies shall perform the duties during the transitional period.

The approval of the results of the December 1 parliamentary elections is in progress. After the parliament convenes, and it has 20 days from the election, a new president of the Senate will be elected. It is this person who would take over the duties of the head of state when the mandate of the outgoing president expires (December 21). The media cite the provisions of the constitution, which state that the mandates of the president and parliament may be extended only in exceptional situations. In the case of the president, these are war or disaster. As for the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, their term of office may be extended in the event of “a state of mobilization, war, siege or state of emergency until their termination.”

On the other hand, Art. Article 83 of the constitution states that “the President of Romania shall exercise his mandate until the newly elected president takes the oath.” Some commentators believed that this provision could be interpreted so that Iohannis could hold office until the next presidential election.

And it was Article 83 of the constitution that President Klaus Iohannis invoked on Friday evening, announcing: – I will remain in office until the election of a new president.