The Romanian Government announces postponing the local elections

The Government is debating the emergency ordinance extending the mayoral mandates by 31 December at the latest.

The Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Public Works initiated a draft emergency ordinance extending the mandates of local elected officials no later than December 31, 2020.

At the beginning of the Government meeting, prime minister Orban asked if the draft emergency decree for the extension of the mandates of local elected officials is being drafted, and deputy prime minister Raluca Turcan replied: „It is obvious that in this crisis situation, no specific campaign activities can be carried out and that the elections must be carried out and organized in an epidemiologically safe context”.

Also, the procedure of conducting the elections is simplified, in the sense that the candidates need only 25.000 signatures and present a single list of supporters.