Thousands protested in Bucharest against the annulment of Romania’s presidential election and the ban on far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu. With a new vote set for May, George Simion emerges as the hard-right's candidate, as tensions rise over Romania’s political future and EU ties.
Thousands of Romanians gathered in the capital Bucharest on Wednesday to protest the December cancellation of a presidential election and the banning of its far-right frontrunner from standing for office again.
The European Union and NATO member which borders Ukraine will repeat its two-round presidential election on May 4 and 18 after the Constitutional Court voided the initial ballot in December following accusations of Russian meddling in favour of far-right, pro-Russian frontrunner Calin Georgescu.
Earlier this month, it banned Georgescu from running again, and George Simion, leader of Romania's second largest party, the Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), subsequently became the hard right's replacement candidate.
Georgescu, who turned 63 on Wednesday, has not publicly commented since he was disqualified and has stopped short of outright endorsing Simion.
Opinion surveys released earlier this month show Simion is poised to make it into the run-off vote on May 18.
Simion's AUR organised Wednesday's protest outside the government headquarters in downtown Bucharest, which saw several thousand people gather, shouting "Freedom" and "Thieves," waving flags and blowing vuvuzelas.
Separately, a competing pro-Georgescu rally saw several thousand more protesters gather.
"This fake government should fall. It has cut democracy and sold the country," said Claudiu Ghita, 62, a retired railroad worker. "I will vote for George Simion in May."
If a far-right candidate succeeds in swaying Georgescu's voters, it could determine whether another central European country swings closer to Moscow beside Hungary and Slovakia.
"Calin Georgescu is out, we will vote Simion. The ultranationalists have not been in power yet and we need peace," said Maria, who declined to give her last name. She was wearing a red Make America Great Again T-shirt and waving a giant Romanian flag.
The far right, which now holds 35% of parliament seats, has painted Romanian mainstream parties as beholden to covert Brussels interests, and has stoked fears that EU support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia will pull Romania into the war.
Northern Pakistan recorded some of its highest temperatures ever on Saturday, with Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chilas district reaching 48.5°C (119.3°F), b...
Türkiye sent two firefighting aircraft to Syria on Saturday to help control wildfires as crews battled flames on both sides of the border....
A small propeller plane crashed in the Austrian Alps on Saturday, killing all four people on board, authorities said....
The death toll from a collapsed residential building in southern Pakistan has climbed to 21 as rescuers continue searching for survivors into the seco...
Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet broke the women’s 5000-metre world record on Saturday, becoming the first woman in history to run the distance in under 14...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his Romanian counterpart Nicusor Dan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, reaffirming a commitment to deepen bilateral ties and enhance Black Sea security.
Romanian authorities have evacuated dozens of residents near the Praid Salt Mine amid fears of a collapse triggered by heavy flooding, as emergency teams scramble to contain the damage and safeguard one of the country’s top tourist sites.
Romania is looking to deepen its energy partnership with Azerbaijan, including potential future negotiations on gas supplies, as part of a broader push to enhance regional energy security through infrastructure projects and cooperation, a senior Romanian official said ahead of Baku Energy Week.
The 38 year old had been the favourite to win at the polls, but unexpectedly lost to pro-Western candidate Nicusor Dan.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Shanghai welcomed its first-ever Legoland resort, attracting visitors with a giant 26-meter Lego figure named Dada.
Northern Pakistan recorded some of its highest temperatures ever on Saturday, with Gilgit-Baltistan’s Chilas district reaching 48.5°C (119.3°F), breaking a 28-year-old record, according to the Meteorological Department.
Türkiye sent two firefighting aircraft to Syria on Saturday to help control wildfires as crews battled flames on both sides of the border.
A small propeller plane crashed in the Austrian Alps on Saturday, killing all four people on board, authorities said.
The death toll from a collapsed residential building in southern Pakistan has climbed to 21 as rescuers continue searching for survivors into the second day.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment