Observing the 2025 Presidential Election in Romania |
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Last updated 2025-05-26 |
By Youngduck Son, Director of Planning, and Jinju Jo, Director of Electoral Research & Observation, A-WEB Secretariat
On May 4, 2025, two representatives from the A-WEB
Secretariat had the opportunity to observe the first round of Romania’s
presidential election. The mission offered a meaningful opportunity
to study, first-hand, the electoral processes implemented by the Permanent
Electoral Authority (PEA) and its partner institutions.
The observation focused not only on
the overall administration of the election but also on notable innovations that
reflect Romania’s efforts to enhance
electoral inclusiveness and transparency. One such measure was the newly
introduced labeling system for
political advertising, aligned with EU Regulation 2024/900, which aims to improve transparency by
requiring clear disclosures on the origin and funding of campaign content, whether
broadcast or digital.
The election also demonstrated
Romania’s commitment to ensuring accessibility for all voters. Special ballot boxes were
made available for voters who were physically unable to attend polling
stations, while braille voting
templates were piloted at select locations to support
voters with vision impairments in casting their ballots independently.
Observing these developments served as a valuable opportunity for mutual learning and cross-comparison. The A-WEB Secretariat expresses its appreciation to the Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania for their warm hospitality and for facilitating this meaningful experience.
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