In Bucharest, Romania, a controversial political figure, Diana Sosoaca, has entered the presidential race again after being barred from last year’s annulled election. Sosoaca, a notable former lawyer and member of the European Parliament from the far-right nationalist S.O.S. Romania party, officially filed her candidacy for the upcoming May rerun at the Central Election Bureau in Bucharest. The bureau now has 48 hours to decide whether to accept or reject her application, with rejections subject to appeal within 24 hours.
Last year, Sosoaca was prevented from participating in the presidential election by the Constitutional Court (CCR), which deemed her unsuitable due to her pro-Russian stance and opposition to Romania’s European Union and NATO memberships. Sosoaca, wearing white boxing gloves at a news conference, declared that she cannot be banned twice for the same reasons after consulting with her lawyers.
Despite her confidence, former Romanian judge Cristi Danilet predicts her candidacy will be rejected again, arguing that the previous court ruling serves as a judicial precedent. The court’s decision to ban her candidacy last year was met with criticism from some civil rights organizations and politicians, who argued it threatened democracy and was politically motivated.
The upcoming rerun’s first round is scheduled for May 4th, with a potential runoff set for May 18th if no candidate secures over 50% of the votes. Prospective candidates have until March 15th at midnight to submit their applications. The Romanian presidency is a five-year position with significant powers, including roles in national security, foreign policy, and judicial appointments.
The election chaos began when the CCR annulled last year’s presidential election following allegations of electoral irregularities and accused Russia of orchestrating an online campaign supporting Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate. Despite these claims, Moscow has denied any interference in the election.
Recently, the CCR rejected Georgescu’s appeal to participate in the rerun, garnering criticism from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, and Moscow. Synchronizing with these developments, Romania’s far-right parties, which hold a substantial legislative presence, are striving to fill the void left by Georgescu’s disqualification.
As part of these efforts, George Simion of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, and Anamaria Gavrila of the Party of Young People, have announced their intentions to enter the race. Simion, who came fourth in last year’s first-round vote, is urgently collecting 200,000 signatures needed for a valid candidacy. Under investigation for inciting violence at a protest, he expressed concerns about facing a similar ban as Georgescu and Sosoaca, asserting his innocence and attributing the allegations to political motives.
Gavrila stated that should both she and Simion qualify, one will withdraw to maximize their sovereigntist movement’s opportunity. Meanwhile, Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union also submitted her candidacy, describing the current political landscape as pivotal for the nation. Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta entered the race on a platform focused on revitalizing the country, calling for radical change.
Other prominent candidates include incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, running as an independent, and Crin Antonescu, representing the coalition government. Additional candidates are expected to step forward, with the confirmed candidate list due to be finalized by March 19th, pending any rejections and subsequent appeals.
