BUCHAREST, Romania — On Friday, George Simion, a prominent populist figure within Romania’s far-right political scene, declared his intention to enter the upcoming presidential election rerun slated for May. This move comes after the prior election was annulled and the previous frontrunner faced disqualification from the impending race. Simion hopes to harness support from nationalist voters, especially after the exclusion of a controversial candidate from last year’s invalidated contest.
The 38-year-old leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians now confronts a criminal probe over claims of inciting violence. This investigation follows the barring of Calin Georgescu, the previous round’s leading candidate, from participating in the election rerun. Simion strongly refutes these allegations, arguing that the investigation is driven by political motives.
A key figure in recent protests by far-right factions, Simion has vocally criticized the country’s top court decision to annul the previous election just days before the December 8th runoff, going as far as to label such actions a coup intended to subvert democracy. On Friday, Simion submitted his presidential candidacy to the Central Election Bureau located in Bucharest. The Bureau now has a 48-hour window to either approve or deny his application, with a 24-hour period available for appeals on any rejections.
In a statement to press members, Simion remarked, “Today we have a divided country, a fractured nation.” Reflecting on Romania’s post-communism developments since 1989, he critiqued the nation’s leaders for their unfulfilled promises of liberty and prosperity, which, in his view, have resulted instead in austerity and lost rights. Determinedly, he asserted, “No one is stealing our vote anymore, no one is stealing our country anymore.” Last year, Simion finished fourth in the initial voting round with approximately 13.8% of the ballots.
The Constitutional Court nullified the election on December 6 following reports of electoral malpractice and suspicions of Russian meddling via an online campaign to boost Georgescu, who led the first-round polls as an independent candidate. Moscow has denied any wrongdoing. With Georgescu now barred from the rerun, Romania’s far-right—holding roughly one-third of the legislative seats—scrambles to field a replacement. Simion, who had supported Georgescu and aligned himself as a close ally, positions himself as a successor, though Georgescu has not formally thrown his support behind Simion.
Meanwhile, Diana Sosoaca, another high-profile Romanian politician who faced a bar from last year’s election by the top court, has submitted her candidacy in an unlikely bid to join the rerun. Last year, Sosoaca was prohibited based on her public stance against Romania’s EU and NATO memberships, which the court deemed incompatible with upholding the presidential responsibilities.
Simion foresees a similar fate, expressing concern over the potential for “the same abusive treatment.” He insists that the authorities’ actions—annulling elections, banning candidates, and altering democratic processes under the banner of democracy—are unfair. An outspoken supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Simion remains a polarizing figure. His advocacy for reunification with Moldova has seen him banned from the neighboring state, and he also faces restrictions from entering Ukraine due to security concerns.
In 2020, Simion’s party, the AUR, emerged from relative obscurity, capturing 9% of the parliamentary vote and securing representation. Touting a platform committed to “family, nation, faith, and freedom,” the AUR significantly increased its presence in the parliament with 18.2% of the parliamentary vote on December 1, becoming the second-largest party in the legislative body. The first round of the rerun is anticipated for May 4, with a potential runoff scheduled for May 18, should no candidate secure over 50% of votes. Aspirants have until March 15 at midnight to declare their candidacy officially.