Calin Georgescu, barred from Romania’s presidential election rerun, will appeal to the Constitutional Court after his candidacy was rejected. His allies denounce this decision, while protests have erupted in his support. Allegations of electoral misconduct and a political investigation against him compound the existing tensions ahead of the May 4 rerun election.
Calin Georgescu, a far-right populist and prior winner of the annulled first-round presidential election, has been barred from participating in Romania’s electoral rerun. He intends to appeal this decision to Romania’s Constitutional Court following the Central Election Bureau’s rejection of his candidacy. His political ally, George Simion, condemned the electoral body’s ruling as illegitimate, asserting that all necessary documentation was duly submitted.
The Central Election Bureau cited last year’s annulment of the elections due to electoral violations, including external influence from a coordinated online campaign promoting Georgescu. The bureau deemed it inappropriate to consider him eligible for the presidency in the rerun. Following the announcement, Georgescu condemned the electoral body’s actions as detrimental to democracy, claiming that his country is currently under tyranny.
In response to the ban, significant protests erupted in Bucharest, with supporters expressing their outrage by clashing with police and calling for another revolution. Georgian urged his followers to remain peaceful through a social media statement, emphasizing that violence was not the solution.
The political landscape remains tense, particularly as prosecutors have recently initiated an investigation against Georgescu for various alleged offenses, including incitement and connections to fascist groups. Despite past allegations of wrongdoing, Georgescu claims he has no ties to Russia, despite expressing admiration for President Putin.
The first round of the presidential rerun is set for May 4, with a subsequent runoff on May 18 if no candidate achieves over 50% of the vote. All candidacy applications must be submitted by March 15 at midnight.
Calin Georgescu faces significant challenges as he attempts to appeal the rejection of his presidential candidacy in Romania. His supporters have reacted strongly to this decision, reflecting a deeply divided political atmosphere. With an ongoing investigation against him and public tensions rising, the upcoming presidential rerun will serve as a critical juncture for Romania’s democratic integrity.
Original Source: apnews.com
