Calin Georgescu, a Romanian far-right populist, faces a significant political setback as the Central Electoral Bureau rejected his candidacy for the rerun of the presidential election in May 2024. This decision follows the annulment of the initial election results after intelligence reports revealed Russian involvement in promoting Georgescu through TikTok accounts. The situation has stirred widespread unrest, as tens of thousands of Romanians took to the streets of Bucharest to protest his detention and exclusion from the upcoming election.
Georgescu's victory in the first round of the presidential election was short-lived. The annulment of the election was a direct consequence of accusations that Russia meddled in Romanian democratic processes by supporting him through social media platforms. This led to the Central Electoral Bureau’s decision to bar him from participating in the re-run election. On his way to register as a candidate, authorities detained Georgescu for questioning, triggering public outrage and mass protests.
Demonstrators in Bucharest expressed their discontent, accusing the ruling political elite of corruption and elitism. Protesters brandished Romanian flags, Orthodox Christian icons, and a large wooden crucifix, while chanting "Calin Georgescu is president" and "freedom." The protests also included strong condemnation of the judiciary, labeling judges as traitors to the Romanian people.
Georgescu’s supporters are adamant that their leader is being unjustly targeted. They dismissed allegations of Russian ties as "fake news," while Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov denied any links between Russia and Georgescu. Despite these denials, the Central Electoral Bureau cited Georgescu's failure to uphold democratic principles as the reason for his disqualification.
Georgescu, known for his admiration of Vladimir Putin and criticism of NATO, addressed his supporters with a message encouraging peaceful democratic participation.
"If you want to support anyone by signing new lists for the presidential campaign, please do as your conscience tells you." – Calin Georgescu
He emphasized the importance of maintaining democratic values amidst the turmoil.
"It seems democracy and freedom are taking their last breath these days." – Calin Georgescu
"But we need to show now, more than any other time, that our choice matters in a peaceful and democratic way." – Calin Georgescu
The Constitutional Court delivered its final ruling on Tuesday afternoon, rejecting Georgescu's appeal against his exclusion from the May election. This decision further fueled the narrative among Georgescu's supporters that he is being systematically obstructed by a remote political elite.
In a rallying call during the protests, George Simion, a prominent figure among Georgescu's supporters, declared:
"Shame! You will not defeat us. The people of Romania have awoken. They will win." – George Simion
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