On Sunday evening there were violent protests in Bucharest following the decision of the Central Election Office (BEC) to reject Călin Georgescu's candidacy in the upcoming presidential election. This decision provoked outrage among his supporters, leading to clashes with police and riots in the capital of Romania.
Călin Georgescu, a 62-year-old politician accused of pro-Russian views reported his candidacy on Friday 7 March. However, BEC rejected his application, citing an earlier Constitutional Court ruling that nullified the results of the first circular of the November 2024 presidential election. The Court argued its decision with violations of Georgesc's electoral laws and suspicions of Russia's interference in the electoral process.
After the BEC decision was announced, hundreds of Georgesc supporters gathered before the committee headquarters, expressing their discontent. Protesters waved Romanian flags and chanted slogans specified as: “The last hotel is another revolution!”. any of the demonstrators threw pieces of pavement and another items towards the police, knocked over the transmission truck and set the bush on fire.
Georgescu commented on BEC's decision as a “direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide”.
On platform X he wrote: “If democracy in Romania falls, the full democratic planet will fall! It's just the beginning. It's so easy!’
He besides added: “Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!”
BEC's decision was met with responses both nationally and internationally. George Simion, leader of the Nationalist organization Alliance for Romanian Unity (AUR), who supported Georgesc's candidacy, called the decision “new abuse and continuation of the coup.” Elon Musk, an American billionaire and advisor to president Donald Trump, commented on platform X: “This is crazy!”.
The presidential elections in Romania were scheduled for 4 May, with a possible second circular on 18 May. The deadline for applications is 15 March at midnight. Among the registered candidates is the current mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, who competes as an independent under the motto “Holy Romania”, and Crin Antonescu, supported by a ruling coalition consisting of the Social Democratic Party, the National-Liberal organization and a smaller organization representing the Hungarian number of the UDMR.
The political situation in Romania remains tense, and the rejection of Georgesc's candidacy can lead to further protests and a deepening political crisis in the country.
