Extremist Right-wing Faction in Romania Proposes Two Fresh Candidates for Leadership
## New Faces in Romania's Presidential Race: Far-Right Splits as Two Fresh Candidates Enter the Arenar\Facebook Twitter Telegram Email Print Bookmark
In a dramatic turn of events, the far-right camp in Romania's presidential race has seen a shake-up, with two fresh candidates stepping forward following the exclusion of Calin Georgescu. George Simion, chairman of the far-right party AUR, triumphantly announced via Facebook, flanked by the new contender, 41-year-old Anamaria Gavrila of the Party of the Youth.
Together, they urged Georgescu's supporters to rally around their bids, aiming to gather the necessary 200,000 signatures. In a strategic move, Gavrila declared that one of the two contenders would eventually withdraw to bolster the right-wing camp's chances. Amidst this uncertainty, Georgescu's appeal against his exclusion from the May election was denied by Romania's Constitutional Court on Tuesday, ending his legal recourse.
The rejection followed Georgescu's exclusion from the race by Bucharest's electoral commission on Sunday, without providing reasons. In response, Georgescu's supporters staged passionate protests in Bucharest, resulting in violent clashes with law enforcement that deployed tear gas, leaving 13 individuals injured. A defiant Georgescu proclaimed: "Europe resembles a dictatorship, while Romania resides under tyranny."
The country has been engulfed in a profound political crisis for months. In November, the unexpected surge of Georgescu in the presidential election's first round caught many off-guard. However, the Romanian Constitutional Court deemed the first round invalid due to suspected Russian election interference, leading to a new vote scheduled for May.
As controversy swirled around Georgescu, Romanian investigators initiated criminal probes in late February, accusing him of providing false information about his campaign finances and assets. Ironically, shortly after the announcement of the new candidates, Romania expelled two Russian diplomats over allegations of Beijing's support for Georgescu.
Article: ntv.de, afp
Secrets Behind the Scenes:
- Romania's far-right, led by Georgescu, has a marginally significant following, estimated at 10-15% of the electorate, fueled by resentment towards the country's prolonged economic struggles and migration concerns.
- Simion and Gavrila aspire to leverage Georgescu's substantial support base while distancing themselves from any political fallout, should the campaign falter.
- The nebulous role of Russia in Romania's elections continues to brew intrigue: in 2019, the country's security services uncovered an extensive Russian disinformation campaign designed to polarize and dilute public trust in legitimate political leaders.
1.ightering the torch pass to the new candidates, Simion and Anamaria Gavrila, both from the far-right parties AUR and the Party of the Youth, respectively, declared their intention to follow the community policy of appealing to the 200,000 signatures required for their candidacy.
2.In somewhat of a strategic maneuver, Gavrila proposed that one of the two contenders would eventually withdraw, aiming to consolidate the far-right's chances in the presidential elections.
3.Georgescu, the former far-right candidate who was excluded from the race, has been tainted with allegations, as Romanian investigators initiated probes accusing him of providing false information about his campaign finances and assets.
