Police car crashes into New Zealand prime minister's limousine, but no one is hurt

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A police car collided with the rear of an official limousine transporting New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis and no one was hurt, officials said Thursday.

The minor crash occurred Wednesday afternoon on the main road to the airport in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, where the parliament is located. Police are investigating the crash.

The Department of Internal Affairs — the agency that manages official vehicles — says the rear of the limousine was damaged.

Luxon told reporters in Auckland on Thursday that the crash was a “bit of a shock” but he was “fine." The prime minister said he did not know if the car would be written off.

FILE - New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gestures as he speaks to supporters at a party event in Auckland, Oct. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Brett Phibbs, File)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court on Thursday asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election, which was won by a far-right outsider candidate, sending shockwaves through the political establishment.

The Constitutional Court in Bucharest voted unanimously in favor of the recount, and said the decision is final. The Central Election Bureau is expected to meet on Thursday afternoon to discuss the request.

Calin Georgescu, a little-known, far-right populist, won the first round, beating the incumbent prime minister. Georgescu, who ran independently, was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi, the mayor of the town of Campulung, in a Dec. 8. runoff.

Georgescu's unexpected success has prompted nightly protests by people who are concerned with previous remarks he's made in praising Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Constitutional Court on Thursday also rejected a request by Sebastian Popescu, a former presidential candidate who got just 0.15% of the vote, to annul the first-round vote. Popescu alleged Georgescu — who declared zero campaign spending — had not disclosed financing linked to a massive TikTok campaign, which many have credited for his success.

Popescu also alleged in his appeal that Georgescu had used widespread disinformation and “defrauded the electoral law by illegally financing the entire electoral campaign, having support from outside the country’s borders, from state entities with the aim of destabilizing Romania.”

Georgescu, who said a network of Romanian volunteers helped his campaign, has denied any wrongdoing. “They want to ban the right of the Romanian people to speak freely,” he told a local news channel Wednesday, adding the first round vote “was perfectly democratic and legitimate.”

Youngsters shout slogans and flash the light of their mobile phones in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, during a protest against Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A woman shouts next to a banner depicting a grumpy cat with a text that reads "I feel like barking" in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 during a protest against Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Youngsters shout slogans and flash the light of their mobile phones in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, next to an altered version of a classic painting, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Calin Georgescu, the independent candidate for Romanian presidency who won the first round of elections making it to the Dec. 8, runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Calin Georgescu independent candidate in the presidential elections speaks to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it into the December 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president gestures while delivering a speech to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it to the Dec. 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A journalist records Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president gestures while delivering a speech to media, in Izvorani, Romania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, after making it to the Dec. 8 election runoff. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)