Romania’s prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation against Calin Georgescu, the far-right presidential frontrunner in last year’s cancelled election. The investigation was sparked by allegations of antisemitism and hate speech made against Georgescu.
Georgescu denies all wrongdoing, but prosecutors claim to have found evidence of promoting antisemitic organizations, war criminals, and fascist groups. A raid on addresses linked to Georgescu uncovered a cache of weapons and hidden cash.
The US has criticized Romania’s decision to annul the election, with some officials labeling it as an “abuse” of power. The decision was made following allegations of Russian interference in favor of Georgescu.
Georgescu has been praised by supporters for his strong stance against NATO and Western support for Ukraine, but critics claim he is promoting extremist ideologies. The investigation into Georgescu’s activities will last for 60 days, during which he must check in with police regularly.
The case highlights the challenges of balancing free speech with preventing hate speech and extremism in Romania. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Romanian government will handle Georgescu’s future candidacy in the May rerun election.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanian-prosecutors-question-far-right-frontrunner-presidential-election-probe-2025-02-26