Romania's Constitutional Court secures a new leader with Simina Tănăsescu in the helm
Elena-Simina Tănănescu, a renowned legal scholar and former political advisor, has made history as the first woman to assume the presidency of Romania's Constitutional Court (CCR). Her three-year term began on July 11, 2022.
Tănănescu's journey to the CCR began in 2019 when she was appointed by former Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Prior to this, she served as a political advisor, a role she relinquished following a public controversy.
As a judge, Tănănescu has been a significant player in the CCR's decisions, particularly in the 2024 and 2025 presidential elections. Her involvement led to the annulment of the first round of elections, resulting in the removal of opposition candidate Calin Georgescu, and the rejection of an appeal against the results of the second round, which favoured Nicușor Dan, the current Bucharest Mayor.
Criticism towards Tănănescu has come from unexpected quarters, such as Elon Musk, who accused her of being connected to George Soros, a controversial figure in international politics. However, her colleagues' confidence in her ability to lead and uphold the constitution remains unwavering.
Tănănescu is a professor of constitutional and European law at the University of Bucharest and has held visiting professorships at universities across Europe and Latin America. She graduated from the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Law in 1991 and earned her doctorate in France in 1997 at Aix-Marseille III University.
Throughout her career, Tănănescu has been involved in numerous nationally and internationally funded legal research projects, serving as director, researcher, or national rapporteur. She is widely regarded as part of the CCR's reform-oriented wing.
A photo of Tănănescu is available from Inquam Photos, credited to George Călin. Her email address is [email protected].
The CCR, composed of nine judges, plays a crucial role in ensuring the rule of law and the proper functioning of public authorities. Tănănescu's leadership is expected to maintain this critical role, especially in a period marked by political and legal challenges in Romania.
In June 2021, Tănănescu, along with judge Livia Stanciu, issued a separate opinion when the CCR ruled that the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (MCV) recommendations on abolishing the Special Section for Investigating Magistrates were not binding on Romanian courts. She succeeded Marian Enache, whose mandate expired earlier in July 2022.
While Elena-Simina Tănănescu's leadership in Romania's Constitutional Court (CCR) focuses on ensuring the rule of law and proper functioning of public authorities, her educational background in constitutional and European law has also been instrumental in her academic pursuits, as she serves as a professor at the University of Bucharest and has held visiting professorships across Europe and Latin America. Simultaneously, her political career and involvement in Romanian politics have been subject to debates, with figures like Elon Musk accusing her of being connected to George Soros, a controversial figure in international politics, but her colleagues' confidence in her ability to lead and uphold the constitution remains unwavering.
