On 9 March, Romania’s Central Election Bureau (CEB) rejected the candidacy of the far-right, pro-Russian politician Calin Georgescu (Călin Georgescu) for the presidential election, according to a spokesman for the bureau. Following the announcement, Georgescu’s supporters attempted to breach a police cordon and enter the CEB’s building. As stated by one of his advisers to Reuters, Georgescu plans to appeal the CEB’s decision on Monday. According to Bloomberg, this decision can still be challenged before the Constitutional Tribunal.
Georgescu described the ruling as “a blow to the heart of world democracy.” He warned, “If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall! This is only the beginning.” He later expressed that “Europe is now a dictatorship, and Romania is in the grip of tyranny!”
During the protests, some supporters broke through a police fence surrounding CEB, leading to clashes with gendarmes, resulting in injuries to at least one officer. Reports from Romaniajournal.ro indicated that some demonstrators began climbing nearby buildings.
Georgescu, who emerged as a surprise winner of the first round of the presidential election on 24 November, faced a setback in early December when Romania’s Constitutional Court refused to recognise the election results and ordered a new vote. The court cited violations of electoral law by Georgescu’s campaign team, as well as concerns about non-transparent financing and possible Russian interference.
Romanian prosecutors have initiated an investigation into Georgescu based on suspicions of electoral fraud, including allegations of irregular campaign financing, anti-Semitic promotion, spreading hate speech, and actions against the constitutional order. If convicted, Georgescu could face imprisonment and be barred from running for public office. Georgescu, however, denies any wrongdoing, claiming that his campaign was funded solely by volunteers.
The CEB’s decision to exclude Georgescu from the 4 May presidential election could intensify far-right and anti-EU sentiments in Romania, potentially benefiting other far-right candidates. Polls indicated that Georgescu might have garnered 40-45% of the vote in the first round, placing him in a strong position to win.
Despite his controversial views, including praise for Romania’s fascist leaders of the 1930s, who were responsible for atrocious crimes against the Jewish community, and admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgescu remains popular in public opinion polls. He is reportedly supported by the new US administration, which is favouring realigning Romania closer to Russia and leaving Moldova without regional allies. Preventing Georgescu from running could enhance the prospects of the leading pro-European candidate in the election. Additionally, he has echoed Russian narratives by labelling Ukraine as a “made-up state” and questioning its territorial integrity, suggesting that parts of Ukraine should be reallocated to Romania, Hungary, and Poland.
