Tension in Bucharest: Protests and bonfires in defence of Georgescu

Interview on the invalidation of Călin Georgescu's candidacy for president of Romania and what it means for the sovereignist segment of Romanian politics

Vladimir Mitev Published: 10 March, 2025 | Updated: 10 March, 2025 4 minutes read

Spas Krainin, Bulgarian National Radio, 10 March 2025

Spas Krainin: Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau rejected the candidacy of Calin Georgescu for the presidential elections. Four members of the bureau voted in favour, ten opposed the candidacy. Supporters of the pro-Russian politician attempted to storm the bureau’s headquarters, necessitating the intervention of the gendarmerie, global agencies reported.

We are now joined at the emission Before All by Vladimir Mitev, a journalist who has been following the issue. Good morning, Mr. Mitev.

Good morning.

Tell us how the night went for Romania and in particular in the capital Bucharest, following this decision by the country’s central electoral bureau.

The old centre of Bucharest was quite tense last night. There was a policeman injured, there was a broken TV car, bonfires lit and, eventually, somewhere around 2 o’clock in the evening, it was reported that the protest had ended. There were protesters arrested, of course.

The protest broke out after this decision that you are talking about was taken. The motivation for that decision came out that evening. Perhaps that is also an interesting topic. Because the central electoral bureau justified its decision to disqualify Georgescu with previous decisions of the Constitutional Court, on the basis of which it was decided that Georgescu ‘did not defend democracy’.

News from the last hour is that Georgescu seems to have filed an annex to his property declaration, which was not signed by him, but was filed anyway. And in it, he reports that he has received gifts from supporters, including the infamous Horațiu Potra, the head of his bodyguards and a businessman who has business of private military type. Georgescu said he was previously unaware he had to report these details. This document is probably one of the reasons why the decision was made.

What next from here? Does he have the right to appeal? Which is the institution in Romania that has the final say in this case?

Until the end of today, he has the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court against the decision of the Central Electoral Bureau. The Constitutional Court must then rule within 48 hours on the appeal. The decision of the Constitutional Court that is final.

Have you been able to follow the reaction of world leaders or politicians outside Romania?

We think it’s important how they react in the United States, because in general, Georgescu has mainly support there. Or at least that’s how it seems if you look online. Elon Musk commented that what is happening in Romania is crazy.

That is to say that this line, specifically Musk’s, through the social network X, continues to be supported. And the open question on his part, regarding the disqualification of Georgescu is still in place.

You continue to follow what’s going on. Will there be protests today, tomorrow?

I expect a tense situation this week. But still, you have to bear in mind that the non-validation of Georgescu’s candidacy was expected by many. And perhaps it is logical to assume that the sovereignists in Romania have a plan B.

What is it?

It is that another candidate or other candidates could peel off their votes. Especially if Georgescu fails to get institutional support in the face of the Constitutional Court.

Are any names being mentioned yet?

At least for now, I see two candidates emerging as frontrunners. One is Victor Ponta. He is the leader of the sovereignists in the Social Democratic Party. He is a former prime minister. Romania TV, which supports the sovereignist line, is probably closer to him.

And the other sovereignist leader is George Simion. He is the leader of the AUR party. Even before Georgescu was disqualified, there were hypotheses that Simeon was really supporting Georgescu, but he was really doing it so that when Georgescu was disqualified, Simeon would come to the fore.

So we need to keep an eye in the coming weeks not only on what happens with Georgescu specifically, but how the sovereigntist camp will reformat itself in general. We also have the figure of George Becali, an influential AUR MP, who has announced that he will do everything possible to ensure that Georgescu is not president of Romania. That is, for the sovereignist camp itself, there are different lines.

It remains to be seen how this internal political plot will develop in Romania. Thank you to my colleague Vladimir Mitev.

Photo: The protests at the night of 9/10 March 2025 in the old town in Bucharest (source: YouTube)

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About Author

Vladimir Mitev

Vladimir Mitev is a Bulgarian Romanian-speaking journalist. He has interacted with many Bulgarian and Romanian media outlets, including Bulgarian National Radio, Mediapool, all major Bulgarian television stations, Darik Radio, and more (Bulgaria); Radio Romania, The Liberal Community 1848, all the major Romanian television stations; DoR; Libertatea; PressHub; and others (Romania); The Analysis, Acorn Radio (USA); Open Democracy (UK); voxEurop (France); the Observatory for the Balkans and the Caucasus; The Other News (Italy); The Institute for Central Europe (Poland); Argument (Czechia); Merce (Hungary); Bilten (Croatia); and Agora (the Republic of Moldova).
He promotes the idea of non-hegemonic, mutually empowering interactions in Central and Southeastern Europe that could contribute to the formation of a dynamic regional identity and connect citizens to the global community.

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