Romanian would-be presidential candidate Calin Georgescu claimed “a direct blow to the heart of world democracy” on Elon Musk’s X platform last Sunday, after election authorities blocked his candidacy and that of three colleagues from the poll to be held in May. “If democracy in Romania falls, the entire democratic world will fall!” he claimed. Musk, aligning himself again with Europe’s far-right, described the ban as “crazy”.
Georgescu, an ultranationalist outspoken critic of Ukraine and Nato, who has voiced sympathy for Russia, holocaust denial and Romania’s second World War fascist leadership, had come from nowhere last November to win the first round of the presidential election. In December he saw his second round bid – and the whole round – suspended after evidence emerged of connections to extremist far-right groups, mysterious cash, and a massive Russia-linked TikTok influence operation.
The constitutional court annulled his first round victory, and he is now back in that court appealing Sunday’s ban. The court will rule shortly.
Two weeks ago Romanian prosecutors laid charges against Georgescu for “incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” the “communication of false information” and involvement in the establishment of an organisation “with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character.” After questioning, he emerged from the courthouse doing a Nazi salute
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Denying candidates the right to put their names before voters is more typical of autocracies like the Russia Georgescu supports. In democracies, it is legitimate only as a measure of last resort, a carefully deployed backstop for democracy itself. Romania is not alone – Germany legally prohibits the promotion of Nazism and historical revisionism.
There is an obvious risk that such measures can create martyrs and propaganda ammunition for the far-right in Romania and internationally. But the accusation is that Georgescu broke the law and the court will decide.
