Description: Far – right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu has stated his intent to appeal the Romanian Constitutional Court’s decision to ban him from running in the May presidential elections. Georgescu submitted his request on Friday after which the Constitutional Court decided on Sunday to prohibit him from participating in the May elections citing Russian election interference and illegal campaign financing allegations. Georgescu has been also investigated on six counts by the Prosecutor’s Office for being a member of a fascist organization and communicating false information about campaign financing. Other ultranationalist parties in Romania have condemned the Constitutional Court’s decision to ban Georgescu from further participating in the presidential elections, while George Simion, leader of the Alliance from Uniting Romanians (AUR), stated he has been in contact with US Vice – President JD Vance over possible replacement for Georgescu.
Impact: The decision by Romania’s Constitutional Court to uphold the decision of the election commission to ban Georgescu has caused massive civic unrest in several Romanian cities which threatened the stability of the country. Romania is currently at a crossroads between the country’s EU and NATO aligned ambitions and supporting an alternative internal and foreign political approach presented by far – right candidate Georgescu, who has repeatedly reiterated his support towards Russia. Romania’s Prosecution Office hasn’t divulged concrete evidence against Georgescu’s candidacy which arose controversies in context of the country’s democratic political system. If the current state of affairs isn’t resolved rapidly, the country could face mounting political crisis in times of severe geopolitical uncertainty which could further destabilize the CEE region. Neighboring Hungary is a staunch Russia supporter, while there is a similar political crisis brewing in Slovakia, and neighboring Moldova also faces significant pressure from the Russian – aligned separatist region of Transnistria.