PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ROMANIA (2-16 NOVEMBER 2014). HYPERMOBILIZATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURE

Abstract

The result of the 2014 presidential elections was quite surprising. The highly conflictual political competition is nothing new to post-communist Romania. However, the atmosphere of intense mobilization in which the run-off took place may well be considered unprecedented and not very likely to occur. In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution, against all realistic expectations, the victory was achieved by Klaus Iohannis, a candidate who had never won a major central government office. Moreover, he came from outside the power elite in Bucharest and won with a high margin against the candidate having the first place in pre-electoral opinion polls. Without any doubt, the lack of administrative resources and the unexpected affluence to the polling stations abroad were the primary cause of the negative reaction which radically changed the final results. This paper will examine the problematic events defining the crisis, as well as the rival political narratives, trying to distinguish between partisan rhetoric and institutional realities, in search for a coherent post hoc approach.