Far-Right Protesters In Romania Express Fury Over Election

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital Bucharest over the weekend in the latest demonstration by Romania’s far-right groups after the constitutional court annulled last year’s presidential election and the victory of their candidate, the Associated Press reported.

On Saturday, demonstrators waved Romania’s tricolor flags and chanted slogans like “Down with the Government!” and “Thieves.”

The demonstrators also expressed support for Călin Georgescu, the populist candidate who won the first round in November before the election was canceled amid allegations of irregularities and foreign interference. Protesters also demanded that only the second round of presidential elections be held.

The protest was organized by the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), which called for the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and accused the government of suppressing democracy.

Saturday’s demonstrations followed a failed no-confidence vote Friday, backed by the AUR and two other far-right opposition parties, aimed at ousting Ciolacu’s pro-Western coalition government.

Romania has been grappling with a series of protests since December, when the country’s top court annulled the results of the first round of voting just days before the Dec. 8 runoff, France 24 added.

Georgescu won the first round in a surprise victory, despite previously polling in the single digits and reporting no campaign spending. The controversy sparked concerns of election violations and Russian interference, which Moscow has denied.

Last week, Romanian prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into Georgescu, accusing him of supporting fascist groups, incitement against the constitutional order, and making false declarations regarding the financing of his campaign.

Prosecutors placed him under “judicial control.” Meanwhile, it remains unclear if he will be able to run in the upcoming election. Addressing protesters on Saturday, Georgescu claimed his candidacy had been unfairly targeted, saying, “The system has maliciously tried to divide us.”

The first round of the rerun presidential election is now scheduled for May 4, with a possible runoff on May 18.