Romania’s central election authority has banned Calin Georgescu, a populist candidate and frontrunner, from running in May’s presidential election re-run.
Румыния блокирует лидера популистов от участия в отложенных президентских выборах
«Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!» Georgescu said in a post on X, following the decision. «I have one message left! If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall!»
Нарушение демократии в Румынии вызывает обеспокоенность
Trump’s administration has taken an interest in Romania’s presidential election since it was canceled in May because of Russian collusion allegations in Georgescu’s favor.
Вмешательство России в выборы вызывает волнение у США
SpaceX CEO and DOGE leader Elon Musk chimed in and shared his reaction to the decision.
Элон Маск высказывается о решении
ROMANIAN FAR-RIGHT PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER JD VANCE’S REBUKE OF EUROPEAN ELECTIONS
«This is crazy,» Musk wrote on X.
Возмущение нарушением демократии в Румынии
Kari Lake, Trump administration senior advisor for the US agency for global media, also reacted and compared what is happening in Romania to what «they tried with Trump here in America.»
Критика действий власти в Румынии
«Do you love your country & want to put it first?» Lake posted on X. «Then, the Globalists want you removed from the ballot & silenced. They tried it with Trump here in America. They did it to Bolsanaro in Brazil. Now, they’re doing it to Georgescu in Romania. The people should dictate their country’s future. Not the international order & their captured court.»
Нарушение демократических принципов
Georgescu, who won the first round of Romania’s canceled presidential election last year, was taken into custody for questioning by the country’s top prosecutors back in February.
Арест лидера популистов в Румынии
ROMANIA ANNULS FIRST ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL VOTE WON BY FAR-RIGHT CANDIDATE
Romania’s Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the election two days ahead of the Dec. 8 runoff after Georgescu’s first-round win. He had polled in single digits and declared zero campaign spending, according to The Associated Press. Allegations of Russian interference and electoral violations quickly emerged. After the election cancelation, prosecutors launched an investigation into alleged campaign funding fraud, as well as alleged antisemitism and hate speech.
Отмена выборов в Румынии вызывает волнение
The Trump administration has criticized Romania for canceling last year’s presidential election, with Vice President JD Vance alleging that the court’s ruling was based on «flimsy suspicions» and «enormous pressure» from Romania’s neighbors.
Критика решения власти в Румынии
Vance said in December, «Romania straight up canceled the results of a presidential election based on the flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors.»
Вмешательство соседей в выборы вызывает недовольство
He also warned European leaders that they cannot win a «democratic mandate» by «censoring your opponents or putting them in jail,» nor by «disregarding your basic electorate on questions like who gets to be a part of our shared society.»
Критика недемократических методов
«To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old, entrenched interests hiding behind ugly Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation, who simply don’t like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way, or even worse, win an election,» Vance said.
Опасения по поводу нарушения демократии
Georgescu, a staunch critic of NATO and Western support for Ukraine, has sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes, according to The AP.
Контроверзные взгляды на прошлое
He has also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past as «a man who loves his country,» and has called Ukraine «an invented state.»
Политика и взгляды кандидата
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.