In a dramatic legal twist, a Romanian appeals court has hit the brakes on a controversial decision to scrap last year’s presidential election results—handing an unexpected lifeline to independent candidate Calin Georgescu, a vocal critic of NATO and Western military aid to Ukraine.
Judge Alexandru Vasile of the Ploiesti Court of Appeal overturned a ruling by the Constitutional Court that had nullified the first-round results of the 2024 presidential race, local outlet HotNews reported Thursday. Georgescu, whose anti-establishment rhetoric shook the political elite, stunned many in November by grabbing 23% of the vote—enough to rattle the status quo.
The annulment, originally justified by alleged campaign “irregularities” and supposed Russian meddling (which the Kremlin flatly denied), sparked outrage across the political spectrum. Thursday’s ruling, however, threw a wrench into that narrative. Prosecutors have since filed an appeal, so the saga isn’t over yet.
George Simion, leader of the populist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), hailed the court’s move as “a step back toward constitutional normalcy.” But he didn’t hold back criticism, warning that the Central Electoral Bureau still refuses to acknowledge the decision and is barreling ahead with plans for the May election—minus Georgescu.
That’s not Georgescu’s only battle. He’s currently facing six criminal charges, including accusations of spreading extremist ideology and undermining the constitutional order. The former UN sustainability official has called the charges bogus, blaming what he describes as Romania’s “deep state” for trying to sideline him through lawfare.
As part of a judicial order, he remains under a travel ban and court supervision—conditions that were just extended for another 60 days. Meanwhile, investigations into the alleged electoral “irregularities” have taken a curious turn. Preliminary findings suggest the whole mess may have stemmed from a botched PR campaign run by a consulting firm linked to the pro-NATO National Liberal Party—an effort aimed at discrediting Georgescu that may have spectacularly backfired.
So, with a suspended annulment, pending appeals, and a candidate under fire, Romania’s presidential race has taken a detour into legal and political chaos—and it’s far from reaching the finish line.
