In a move that has sparked widespread controversy, Romania's central electoral bureau has barred far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from participating in the country's upcoming presidential election re-run, scheduled for May. The decision, made on Sunday, has been met with fierce criticism from Georgescu's supporters, who claim the move is undemocratic and aimed at silencing their candidate ¹.
Georgescu, a pro-Russian candidate, has been at the center of controversy in recent months. His candidacy was initially approved, but the country's highest court annulled the ballot in December, citing allegations of Russian interference in Georgescu's favor. Moscow has denied these allegations ¹.
The electoral bureau's decision to bar Georgescu from the election re-run has been based on the Constitutional Court's ruling, which stated that it is "inadmissible" for Georgescu to participate in the election due to his failure to respect ballot regulations ¹.
The decision has sparked widespread protests in Romania, with hundreds of Georgescu supporters gathering outside the electoral bureau in Bucharest. The protests turned violent, with demonstrators throwing rocks, overturning cars, and setting trash cans on fire. Police responded with tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd ¹.
Georgescu himself has denounced the decision, taking to social media to express his outrage. "A direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide!", he wrote on X. "Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!" ¹
The decision has also sparked international reaction, with some leaders criticizing the move as undemocratic. Tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk described the decision as "crazy" on his social media platform X ¹.
However, other European diplomats have expressed support for the independence of Romanian courts. The German, French, Dutch, and Spanish ambassadors have all issued statements backing the decision ¹.
The decision can be challenged in Romania's constitutional court, leaving Georgescu's supporters with a glimmer of hope. However, the outcome is far from certain, and the controversy surrounding Georgescu's candidacy is likely to continue ¹.
As Romania prepares for its presidential election re-run, the country remains deeply divided. The blocking of Georgescu's candidacy has only added fuel to the fire, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming weeks.
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