The trend of questioning elections because the result was ‘shocking’

The year 2024 was an election year. From small to large nations, the world saw at least 70 elections in various countries including presidential, parliamentary, and local contests.

An election has winners and losers. The results might favour one party, disappoint another or, in some cases, coalitions are formed to turn the tables.

However, this year also saw most losing parties blaming the outcomes as they failed to declare them the victors. Although the practice of overlooking their own shortcomings and pinning the blame on election machinery like EVMs or ballots is not new, it has certainly become the trend in 2024.

From Romania to India, here's a look at how countries have questioned elections because the results were "shocking":

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Romania

Earlier this week, Romania's top court ordered a recount of votes in the first round of the presidential election and the country's top security body warned Romania was a key target for hostile actions from Russia after a shock result in the ballot.

Having polled in single digits before Sunday's vote, independent far-right politician Calin Georgescu, 62, surged to a victory that raised questions over how such a surprise had been possible in the European Union and NATO member state.

The Constitutional Court "unanimously ordered the re-verification and recounting of the voting ballots for the Nov. 24 presidential election," it said in a statement.

Georgia

In the same week, the European Parliament said that the elections in Georgia were not held "fairly" and advised that they should be re-run.

The election results saw Georgia's authoritarian government secure an overwhelming majority raising eyebrows among stakeholders.

After the October vote, a group of Georgia's leading election monitors said they had evidence of a complex scheme of large-scale electoral fraud.

Members of the European Parliament have voted in favour of a decision to declare the Georgian elections invalid based on the argument that "they do not serve as a reliable representation of the will of the Georgian people.”

India

India saw the historic return of the Bharatiya Janata Party in June. The results did not sit right with the Opposition party Congress and its allies who lost for the third time in the Lok Sabha or general elections.

India uses Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for voting.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, earlier this month, raised concerns over EVMs and suggested that India should go back to using ballot papers for voting.

"We don't want EVMs, we want ballot papers," he said. The Opposition has, for long, demanded the eradication of EVMs, believing that ballot papers are more secure and transparent.

The issue even reached the doorsteps of the Supreme Court which quashed the petition seeking a ban on EVMs. “What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs are not tampered with. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with),” a Supreme Court bench said.

With inputs from agencies