Latest news with #Georgescu
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Populist frontrunner in Romania's cancelled election to step back from politics
Mr Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late on Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Mr Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Mr Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Mr Georgescu's nominal successor. Mr Georgescu said he had made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close'. 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Mr Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Mr Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organisations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Mr Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it was extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Mr Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Mr Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of Nato, the US-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. He sparked controversy for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past as 'a man who loves his country' and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Mr Georgescu became a cause celebre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as US vice president JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticised Romania for annulling the vote. Mr Georgescu has argued the election was 'cancelled illegally and unconstitutionally', and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Mr Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalised,' Mr Georgescu said on Monday, adding that he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people'.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Romanian right-wing-leader and presidential contender Calin Georgescu steps down from politics
Bucharest, May 27 (UNI) Calin Georgescu, the once-surging right-wing presidential contender in Romanian elections, has announced he is stepping down from politics, months after being barred from running in the controversial 2025 presidential election. In a video message shared on social media, Georgescu said, 'The presidential elections have come to an end. With this in mind, I have decided to end my active participation in the political process, as I believe this stage of the sovereignty movement has come to a close.' He added that his decision was not a resignation, but 'a responsible choice,' and that he now intends to focus on his family, according to Politico. Georgescu's brief rise stunned the Romanian political establishment. In November 2024, he garnered 22.9% of the vote in the first round, catapulting him from political obscurity to national prominence. However, the Constitutional Court later annulled the result, citing credible evidence of foreign interference—reportedly involving Russian-backed influence campaigns on social media platforms such as TikTok. The court barred Georgescu, a vocal critic of the EU and NATO, from running in the rescheduled May 2025 election citing national security concerns over alleged fascist ideologies. The annulment sparked protests at home and condemnation abroad. High-profile figures including US Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk accused Romanian authorities of suppressing the opposition. The presidency was eventually won in May 2025 by centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who defeated George Simion, leader of the nationalist AUR party and a close political ally of Georgescu. Georgescu, who built a populist platform in Romania and was noted for both his nationalist stance, as well as his vocal criticism of the EU and NATO, had built a considerable voter base in the country, emerging as one of its most dominant political voices. Regarding his leave from politics, he said he has no plans to join another party or movement. But his message to supporters ended with a warning: 'If the rights of those who choose differently are violated, I'll return with a clear voice to defend democracy.' UNI ANV RN
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Former far-right populist quits Romanian politics
Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s.
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Populist frontrunner in Romania's cancelled election to step back from politics
Mr Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late on Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Mr Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Mr Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Mr Georgescu's nominal successor. Mr Georgescu said he had made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close'. 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Mr Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Mr Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organisations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Mr Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it was extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Mr Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Mr Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of Nato, the US-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. He sparked controversy for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past as 'a man who loves his country' and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Mr Georgescu became a cause celebre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as US vice president JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticised Romania for annulling the vote. Mr Georgescu has argued the election was 'cancelled illegally and unconstitutionally', and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Mr Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalised,' Mr Georgescu said on Monday, adding that he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people'.
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Populist frontrunner in Romania's cancelled election to step back from politics
Mr Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late on Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Mr Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Mr Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Mr Georgescu's nominal successor. Mr Georgescu said he had made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close'. 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Mr Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Mr Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organisations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Mr Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it was extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Mr Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Mr Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of Nato, the US-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. He sparked controversy for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past as 'a man who loves his country' and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Mr Georgescu became a cause celebre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as US vice president JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticised Romania for annulling the vote. Mr Georgescu has argued the election was 'cancelled illegally and unconstitutionally', and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Mr Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalised,' Mr Georgescu said on Monday, adding that he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people'.
