Romanian populist Georgescu quits politics after being barred from election rerun

Calin Georgescu, a Romanian populist who emerged victorious in the first round of the country’s presidential election last year, has announced his retirement from politics after being barred from participating in the presidential election rerun this month. The decision comes after a top Romanian court annulled the results of the initial election due to allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Georgescu, who ran as an independent candidate, was later banned from running in the country’s presidential election rerun, which was ultimately won by pro-European Union candidate Nicusor Dan. In a video posted online, the 63-year-old Georgescu stated, “I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life. I choose to remain outside any political party structure and I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.”

Following the conclusion of the presidential race, Georgescu declared that he believes “the sovereignist movement has come to a close.” He emphasized that the values and ideals he fought for remain steadfast, despite his decision to step back from politics. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of various charges including incitement to undermine the constitutional order and election campaign funding abuses.

Georgescu faced controversy for his statements praising Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and questioned Ukraine’s statehood. Despite these views, Georgescu claims not to be pro-Russian and has criticized the authorities for what he believes was an illegal and unconstitutional cancellation of the election results.

Earlier this year, thousands of protesters showed their support for Georgescu by taking to the streets of Bucharest. Despite the challenges he has faced in the political arena, Georgescu remains committed to the values he believes in and asserts that he will continue to be an observer of public and social life. His retirement from politics marks the end of a chapter for the populist leader, but he remains steadfast in his convictions and beliefs.