Calin Georgescu, an ultranationalist candidate who won the first round of Romania’s recently aborted presidential election, has been barred from participating in a redo vote scheduled for May. This decision has led to a small but violent protest by his supporters in Bucharest.
The Central Electoral Bureau announced late Sunday that it would not register Mr. Georgescu’s candidacy. He is known for his criticism of Ukraine and NATO and has expressed sympathy for Russia and Romania’s fascist leadership during World War II. Alongside Georgescu, three other candidates also had their nominations rejected, though the bureau did not provide a rationale for its decisions.
This ruling follows the opening of a criminal case against Mr. Georgescu by Romanian prosecutors, who have charged him with “incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” “communication of false information,” and involvement in an organization characterized by fascist, racist, or xenophobic traits.
On Sunday evening, several hundred protesters gathered outside the election bureau, shouting accusations of “thieves” and “traitors,” and clashing with police by throwing stones and firecrackers. Police responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd. While the protest was smaller than previous demonstrations, it heightened political tensions and concerns regarding potential violence ahead of the upcoming presidential election.
As Romania prepares for its second attempt at a presidential election, the role of the president in foreign policy remains significant, especially given the country's NATO membership and proximity to Ukraine.
Mr. Georgescu, who has the option to appeal his exclusion, criticized the electoral bureau's decision as a threat to democratic principles globally, stating, “Europe is now a dictatorship. Romania is under tyranny.” His surprising performance in the first electoral round last November had led many in Romania's political establishment to initially regard him as a fringe candidate without serious prospects.
His campaign, which he claims was funded with “zero” expenditure, gained traction through a series of supportive videos that appeared on social media close to the election, which opponents attributed to possible Russian interference.
Two days before a December runoff election, the Constitutional Court annulled Mr. Georgescu's first-round victory in an effort to ensure the electoral process's integrity. This ruling garnered support from many NATO allies but provoked backlash from some European and American conservatives.
Elon Musk expressed his disapproval of the decision on social media, labeling it “crazy.” Additionally, Vice President JD Vance referenced the annulled vote at a Munich security conference as indicative of Europe’s diminishing commitment to free speech and democracy.
Concerns about Russian interference in the campaign, which had been cited by Romania’s security service, led to the Constitutional Court's decisive intervention, although no concrete evidence of such interference was presented.