Romanian election leader vows to return pro-Russian Georgescu to power
The leader of the presidential race in Romania, Gheorghe Simion, said that if he wins, he will give a leadership position to his pro-Russian ally, Calin Georgescu, who was banned from participating in these elections. Simion's words are reported by Reuters.
"There are several ways by which, if the Romanian people want it, Mr. Georgescu can find himself in the leadership [of the state], and we will use it," the politician said.
According to Simion, for this, "we can form a majority and appoint him [Georgescu] as prime minister," and among the options are holding early parliamentary elections or a referendum.
In the first round, the far-right candidate Simion wins with about 40% of the vote. He opposes military aid to Ukraine and criticizes the leadership of the European Union. The second place is contested by the candidate of the ruling coalition Antonescu and the mayor of Bucharest Dan, who have a pro-Ukrainian position.
In Romania, the president nominates the prime minister, but the decision on his appointment is made by parliament. The head of state cannot legally interfere in attempts to form a governing parliamentary majority.
Reuters also calls the option of early voting unlikely.
The last parliamentary elections in Romania were held on December 1, 2024. In them, Simion's party "Alliance for the Unification of Romanians" and two other right-wing radical forces received about 35% and did not become part of the ruling coalition.
Despite this, the media writes, the prospect of forming a government led by Georgescu may worry investors, as the radical politician has repeatedly stated that he supports nationalization and preferences for Romanian companies.
- Georgescu has a clear anti-Ukrainian position and has repeatedly made relevant statements.
- The first round of presidential elections was held in Romania in November 2024. Georgescu (22.95%) and the pro-European Lasconi (19.17%) advanced to the second round, which was scheduled for December 8.
- However, in December, Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense declassified secret service documents that, among other things, indicated Russian interference in favor of Georgescu. After that, the results of the first round of elections were annulled and a rerun was scheduled.
- On March 9, Romania's CEC banned Georgescu from participating in the repeat presidential election.
- On May 2, the administration of US President Trump sent a high-ranking official to Romania to observe the controversial presidential election.