Constitutional Court of Romania
Curtea Constituțională a României
Established 1992
Location Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest
Composition method
  • Senate selection (3 members)
  • Chamber of Deputies selection (3 members)
  • President selection (3 members)
Authorised by Constitution
Appeals from 1992 – 2003: Parliament
2003 – present: none
Judge term length 9 years
Number of positions 9
Website http://www.ccr.ro/
President of the Constitutional Court of Romania
Currently Elena-Simina Tănăsescu
Since 2025
Lead position ends 2028

The Constitutional Court of Romania (Romanian: Curtea Constituțională a României) is the institution which rules on whether the laws, decrees or other bills enacted by Romanian authorities are in conformity with the Constitution.

It consists of nine members serving nine-year terms which cannot be extended, with three members each appointed by the President, the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Three members are renewed every 3 years.

Powers

According to the Article 146 of the Constitution, the Constitutional Court exercises the following powers:[1]

  • to adjudicate on the constitutionality of laws, before promulgation, upon notification by the President of Romania, by the President of either Chamber of Parliament, by the Government, the Supreme Court of Justice, by a number of at least 50 Deputies or at least 25 Senators, as well as, ex officio, on initiatives to revise the Constitution
  • to adjudicate on the constitutionality of the Standing Orders of Parliament, upon notification by the President of either Chamber, by a parliamentary group or a number of at least 50 Deputies or at least 25 Senators
  • to decide on exceptions brought to the Courts of law as to the unconstitutionality of laws and orders
  • to guard the observance of the procedure for the election of the President of Romania and to confirm the ballot returns
  • to ascertain the circumstances which justify the interim in the exercise of office of President of Romania, and to report its findings to Parliament and the Government
  • to give advisory opinion on the proposal to suspend the President of Romania from office
  • to guard the observance of the procedure for the organization and holding of a referendum, and to confirm its returns
  • to check on compliance with the conditions for the exercise of the legislative initiative by citizens
  • to decide on objections of unconstitutionality of a political party
  • to carry out also other duties stipulated by the organic law of the Court.
  • 5 October 2024 – The Constitutional Court notably disqualified S.O.S. Romania candidate Diana Șoșoacă from running in the 2024 Romanian presidential election, ruling claiming that her public statements and conduct "systematically" violate the country's constitutional foundation of membership in Euro-Atlantic structures, without giving any specific reasons to backup their claim.[2][3] The court's ruling, which was split 5–2 along party lines, was criticized by some for being politically motivated, undemocratic and a result of corruption.[4]
  • 28 November 2024 – The Constitutional Court ordered the November 24 presidential election to recount its votes.[5]
  • 2 December – 2024 Romanian presidential election: The Constitutional Court unanimously validates the results of the first round of the presidential election.[6]
  • 6 December – 2024 Romanian presidential election: The Constitutional Court annuls the results of the first round of the presidential election.[7]
  • 11 March 2025 – The Constitutional Court notably disqualifies independent candidate Călin Georgescu from running in the postponed 2025 Romanian presidential election after being charged with six offenses.[8][9]
  • 22 May 2025 - 2025 Romanian presidential election: The Constitutional Court officially validates the results of the election, confirming Nicușor Dan as the new President of Romania.[10]

Members

Current structure

Appointer Name
(Office)		 Term start Term end
Senate Cristian Deliorga [ro] 2019 2028
Laura Iuliana Scântei [ro] 2022 2031
Mihai Busuioc 2025 2034
Chamber of Deputies Gheorghe Stan [ro] 2019 2028
Dimitre Bogdan Licu [ro] 2022 2031
Csaba Asztalos [ro] 2025 2034
President Elena Simina Tănăsescu [ro]
(President)		 2019
(2025)		 2028
(2028)
Mihaela Ciochină [ro] 2022 2031
Dacian Dragoș 2025 2034

History

Since it was created in 1992, the Constitutional Court had the following composition.[11][12][13]


Year Senate appointments Chamber of Deputies appointments Presidential appointments President
1992 Fazakás Miklos(3) Viorel-Mihai Ciobanu(6) Antonie Iorgovan(R) Ion Filipescu(3) Victor-Dan Zlătescu(6) Ioan Muraru Vasile Gionea(3) Mihai Constantinescu(6) Florin Bucur Vasilescu Vasile Gionea
1993
1994
1995
Costică Bulai Lucian Stângu Ioan Deleanu(R) Ioan Muraru
1996
Romul Petru Vonica(r) Nicolae Popa(r)
1997
1998
Kozsokár Gábor Constantin Doldur Lucian Mihai(R) Lucian Mihai
1999
2000
2001
Nicolae Cochinescu Ioan Vida Şerban Viorel Stănoiu(r) Petre Ninosu(d) Nicolae Popa
2002
2003
2004
Ion Predescu Aspazia Cojocaru Acsinte Gaspar Ioan Vida
2005
2006
Tudorel Toader(r)
2007
Puskás Valentin-Zoltán Tudorel Toader(f) Augustin Zegrean
2008
Petre Lăzăroiu(r)
2009
2010
Iulia Motoc(R) Mircea-Ștefan Minea Petre Lăzăroiu(f) Augustin Zegrean
2011
2012
2013
Mona-Maria Pivniceru Toni Greblă(r), (R) Valer Dorneanu Daniel Morar
2014
2015
Simona-Maia Teodoroiu(r)
2016
Marian Enache Attila Varga Livia Doina Stanciu Valer Dorneanu
2017
2018
2019
Cristian Deliorga Gheorghe Stan Elena Tănăsescu
2020
2021
2022
Laura Scândei Bogdan Licu Mihaela Cochină Marian Enache
2023
2024
2025
Mihai Busuioc Csaba Asztalos Dacian Dragoș Elena Tănăsescu
2026
  • (3) - appointed for a three year term (1992 appointments only)
  • (6) - appointed for a six year term (1992 appointments only)
  • (R) - resigned
  • (r) - appointed for a reminder of a term
  • (d) - died in office
  • (f) - reappointed for a full term

See also

  • Judiciary of Romania
  • High Court of Cassation and Justice
  • Rule of law
  • Rule According to Higher Law

References

  1. ^ "The Constitution of Romania". President of Romania. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Top Romanian Court Bans Pro-Russian Candidate From Presidential Race". Radio Free Europe. 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  3. ^ Jochecová, Ketrin (2024-10-07). "You're biased, Romanian far-right MEP tells top court after ban from presidential race". POLITICO. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  4. ^ Popescu, Cristian Pantazi, Ana (2024-10-05). "BREAKING Judecătorii Curţii Constituţionale au anulat candidatura Dianei Șoșoacă la președinția României / Șoșoacă nu mai are nicio cale de atac". G4Media.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2025-03-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Ilie, Luiza (November 29, 2024). "Romania's top court orders presidential election recount". Reuters. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  6. ^ Ilie, Luiza; Vilcu, Mara; Charlish, Alan (2024-12-02). Jones, Gareth; Chopra, Toby; Liffey, Kevin; Heinrich, Mark (eds.). "Romania's top court upholds presidential election first-round result". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  7. ^ Cole, Deborah (2024-12-06). "Romanian court annuls first round of presidential election". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  8. ^ "Controversy over far-right Romanian politician Georgescu – DW – 02/28/2025". dw.com. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  9. ^ "Georgescu barred from Romanian vote in final court ruling". www.bbc.com. 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  10. ^ https://www.ccr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Hotarare_43_2025.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ Current composition of the Constitutional Court Archived 2010-06-18 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Former judjes Archived 2010-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ Adevărul