CEC Rejects Călin Georgescu’s Presidential Candidacy in Romania
Romania’s CEC has rejected Călin Georgescu’s candidacy for the presidential election, allowing him 24 hours to appeal to the Constitutional Court. His campaign has faced allegations of TikTok misuse and inciting anti-constitutional activities. The Court’s review is expected to conclude shortly, while supporters reacted to the decision by removing barriers outside the CEC.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Romania has rejected Călin Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, a development reported by Digi24. Following this decision, Georgescu has a 24-hour window to appeal to the Constitutional Court. The Court, having annulled the results of the prior presidential election held on December 2024, must review his complaint within the same timeframe, with a conclusive decision expected by March 12 in the evening.
In response to the CEC’s ruling, supporters of Georgescu congregated outside the commission’s headquarters and removed barriers set by law enforcement, which were subsequently restored. In the first round of the presidential elections on November 24, 2024, Georgescu and pro-European candidate Elena Lasconi moved to the subsequent election round, with Lasconi narrowly defeating incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu by only 2,700 votes.
Georgescu’s unexpected ascension in the race has drawn scrutiny, particularly accusations regarding his influence through TikTok. Consequently, the European Commission has requested information from TikTok on measures taken to mitigate inauthentic usage risks and the problems with its content recommendation systems.
Moreover, investigations have alleged that the TikTok account used by Romanian citizen Bogdan Pescir financed Georgescu’s campaign with substantial payments totaling $381,000 during the election period. In a significant turn of events, the Constitutional Court annulled the outcome of the first electoral round on December 6.
In a preceding incident, Călin Georgescu was arrested on charges including inciting anti-constitutional activities and spreading misinformation, among others. He was later released under judicial supervision. The case has led to the arrest of 18 individuals connected to Georgescu, with Romanian security forces conducting multiple searches of his associates’ residences, uncovering various illegal assets including weapons, gold bars, and substantial cash amounts totaling over $3.3 million.
The rejection of Călin Georgescu’s presidential candidacy by Romania’s CEC has highlighted significant controversies surrounding his campaign, including accusations of election manipulation via social media. Additionally, his prior arrest and ongoing investigations have placed him under intense scrutiny. With the appeal process underway, the political landscape in Romania will continue to evolve as the electoral process resumes.
Original Source: babel.ua
