Romania’s Constitutional Court has confirmed President Traian Basescu’s closely fought run-off election victory.

A recount of 137,000 annulled votes did not change the result of the election which Basescu won by a margin of just one per cent.

The court unanimously rejected allegations of widespread fraud made by beaten candidate Mercea Geonna.

He said: “The suspicion of fraud in the presidential elections will follow Romania and our democracy for years to come. As a citizen of a democratic Romania, I accept the court’s decision and I wish Traian Besescu good luck in his new term of office.”

The official end of the dispute could now free up a multi-billion euro IMF aid package which had been suspended during the crisis.

Basescu’s first priority will be naming a new prime minister to lead a centrist ruling coalition.

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