Bucharest (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Calin Georgescu criticizes the Romanian court’s annulment of the presidential election, citing Russian interference and warning of democratic collapse.
The Romanian far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu on 8 Dec 2024 appeared outside a closed polling station to criticise a top court’s unprecedented decision to annul the first round of the vote in which he appeared as frontrunner. He said the Constitutional Court’s decision to cancel the ballot was fatal for democracy.
Georgescu was welcomed by a crowd of supporters and journalists at the school where he would have cast his vote.
We shall continue democratically,
he stated, speaking in English.
I ask very clearly for peace, for all the things that we have to recuperate our democracy because democracy was cancelled with the court.
What allegations of interference led to the election cancellation?
The court nullified the ongoing presidential election after indictments of Russian meddling and ruled the entire procedure, which had been due to conclude this weekend, would have to be re-run. Russia rejects any interference in the process. The court noted the illegal use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, as well as undeclared sources of grants. Without naming Georgescu, the court expressed one candidate received “preferential treatment” on social media platforms, misinterpreting voters’ expressed will.
How did President Ioannis respond to the election nullification?
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated in a statement celebrating Constitution Day that
we find ourselves in a juncture of profound responsibility towards the values that distinguish us as a nation.
The Romanian Constitution defines the framework within which the state and political life operate, serving as a shield against threats to democracy,
he stated.
In turbulent times, state institutions are called upon to act with calm, wisdom and respect for the law, the Constitution and democracy.
What are the implications of Georgescu’s stance on Ukraine support?
According to experts, if Georgescu were to succeed in the presidency, it would upend the pro-Western politics of the EU and NATO members, forcing Romania closer to central and eastern European states with populist, Russia-friendly leaders, including Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. Georgescu desires to end Romanian support for Ukraine as its shield against Russia’s invasion enters a fourth year in February.
