Romania: election authority bars Georgescu
Romania's central electoral bureau has barred the right-wing populist politician Călin Georgescu from the re-run of the presidential election on 4 May. Georgescu plans to challenge the decision. After he won the first round of the presidential election in November, the vote was annulled by the country's Constitutional Court due to allegations of Russian meddling. Commentators take stock.
This will compound the discontent
Not allowing Georgescu to stand for election will only bolster extremism in the country, Deutsche Welle's Romanian service fears:
“If the judiciary had done its job early enough, Georgescu would never have been able to run for office and the electoral commission would not have had to invent reasons to remove him from the race. ... Declaring his candidacy invalid turns him into a hero in the fight against the dark bureaucracy, a victim of the traditional politicians who would be afraid to run against him and lose. Who benefits from this invalidation? The next extremist who enters the race and collects all the discontent and desire to revolt fuelling Georgescu's supporters.”
The problems remain
For the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Georgescu's exclusion has a bitter note:
“The timing has fuelled suspicion across the political camps. According to surveys Georgescu's popularity has actually increased under the pressure of the investigations. His populist Tiktok campaign, which appears to have been co-orchestrated from outside the country, also struck a chord with many people because they are disillusioned with the two major established parties. Many Romanians see the state and its institutions as hostage to the post-communist PSD and the national liberal PNL. Even if the spectre of Georgescu disappears from the scene, the problems that led to his sudden ascent are far from resolved.”
US and Russia on the same side
Ultra-nationalism in Romania is getting a boost from Washington, Krónika complains:
“Georgescu, who won the first round of the presidential elections out of the blue and is facing multiple charges of accepting 'help' from Russia, is also supported by the new US Vice President JD Vance and the president's favourite and personal advisor Elon Musk. A dreadful, unbelievable scenario: America and Russia on the same side in Romania, that of Georgescu and the [far-right] AUR. ... As things stand there are fears that the new masters in Washington will not only suddenly close the protective umbrella, but also destabilise everything they can.”
An opponent of the constitution
The Spotmedia blog points out why Georgescu is a danger to democracy in Romania:
“It's not just because of the many questionable statements he has made - about the democratic system and the rule of law. Georgescu has already announced that he wants to do things that go far beyond the powers of the president and could only be achieved through unconstitutional measures. On the subject of the multi-party system he said that parties should be dissolved. He said that Romania should respect the treaties it has signed, and this is enshrined in the constitution, yet he is talking about annexing part of Ukraine. ... Nor can the judicial investigations against Georgescu go unmentioned. He is accused of having attacked the constitutional order.”
Demonstrators are his last card
Much now depends on what happens at the mass rallies, republica.ro stresses:
“Georgescu's mission no longer seems to be simply to run for office in Romania, but rather to disrupt the social order in the country. ... TV stations that support him are confirming this by calling on people to take to the streets and saying that this is 'the last chance'. ... Undoubtedly, Georgescu is playing his last card. The way people react to all these events now will be crucial. After all, we are talking about people who wholeheartedly believe that Romania's only hope is Călin Georgescu. They cannot be convinced by evidence, recordings or criminal investigations. They have become the manoeuvring mass that Călin Georgescu is counting on.”
Russia has a strong interest in this country
Bucharest must protect itself from Moscow, warns La Stampa:
“Russia's interest in Romania is not surprising given that the country shares a 650-kilometre border with Ukraine and, with three Nato military bases and around 5,000 soldiers on standby for joint defence operations, is deemed to be of strategic importance by its Western allies. Romania also provides a vital transit route for millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain and is home to 170,000 war refugees. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine Bucharest has become one of Kyiv's main security partners. ... A candidate like Georgescu, who is explicitly opposed to Nato and above all to sending military aid to Ukraine, is the perfect candidate in the eyes of the Kremlin.”