Romania’s election authority has barred far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from the May presidential election, citing irregularities. This decision has instigated protests from his supporters. Georgescu plans to appeal the ruling to the Constitutional Court. He leads in opinion polls but faces allegations of Russian interference and is under criminal investigation for multiple charges.
Romania’s central election authority has disqualified far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from participating in the May presidential election re-run. This ruling has led to protests among approximately 300 of Georgescu’s supporters, who gathered outside the election bureau, chanting ‘freedom!’. Though the decision was announced on Sunday, it is not legally binding yet, as Georgescu is expected to appeal to Romania’s Constitutional Court before Wednesday.
Georgescu unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner in the initial round of the presidential election on November 24. However, the Constitutional Court subsequently annulled these results citing irregularities related to Russian interference in campaign financing, prompting the rescheduling of the election for May 4. Protestors attempted to breach security, demonstrating their discontent with the election authority’s decision.
While leading the opinion polls with approximately 40 percent support, Georgescu criticized the election authority’s action as “a direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide.” He submitted his candidacy for the re-run last Friday, although there have been existing doubts regarding his eligibility.
Felicitously, Georgescu’s campaign has been marred by allegations of Russian interference to bolster his candidacy—claims that Moscow has refuted. Following the annulment, protests have erupted, with Georgescu describing it as a “formalised coup d’etat.” Notably, members of former President Donald Trump’s administration labeled the election cancellation as a suppression of political expression in Europe, while tech entrepreneur Elon Musk termed the election authority’s decisions “crazy.”
Georgescu is currently under criminal investigation for multiple charges, including his association with a fascist organization and disseminating false information regarding campaign financing, which he has vehemently denied.
In summary, Calin Georgescu, a far-right presidential candidate in Romania, has been barred from the upcoming election following allegations of campaign finance irregularities and Russian interference. His supporters have protested fiercely against this decision, which they view as an affront to democratic principles. The future of Georgescu’s candidacy hinges on the upcoming ruling by the Constitutional Court, amidst ongoing public and political contention.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
