Romania’s electoral commission announced on Sunday that it has barred far-right politician Calin Georgescu from running in the upcoming presidential elections. The decision was made without providing any justification. This move has led to protests by Georgescu’s supporters in Bucharest, who attempted to enter the electoral commission’s office in response.

Georgescu posted on the social media platform X, calling the decision a “direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide” and stating that “Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!” He has stated his intention to appeal the decision.

This is not the first time Georgescu’s candidacy has faced controversy. In November, he won the first round of the presidential election, but it was later annulled by Romania’s constitutional court due to allegations of Russian interference, which both Georgescu and Russia deny.

Georgescu, who has been leading in opinion polls, has been embroiled in legal troubles, including accusations of having close ties to Russia, making false statements regarding campaign financing, and being involved with fascist, racist, or xenophobic organizations.

In his campaign, Georgescu has opposed aid to Ukraine and aligned himself strongly with former US President Donald Trump, who has received backing from senior members of Trump’s administration. For instance, Trump adviser Elon Musk called the electoral commission’s decision “crazy” on X, while US Vice President JD Vance criticized the constitutional court for annulling the presidential vote, accusing the Romanian government of silencing its own people.

The political tensions in Romania continue to escalate, with the situation drawing international attention and potentially impacting the country’s political landscape.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/romania-far-right-candidate-georgescu-barred-from-presidential-election/a-71872395?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf