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Romanian prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Călin Georgescu, the far-right, Moscow-friendly populist who surged from almost nowhere to win the first round of the country’s cancelled presidential election last year.
The announcement of the investigation covering a number of separate accusations took place after Georgescu, 62, was stopped by police in Bucharest traffic on Wednesday as he was about to submit his candidacy for a rerun of the election, which is scheduled for May.
Prosecutors said after questioning him for several hours that they were formally investigating him on suspicion of communicating false information, promoting war criminals and fascist organisations and forming an antisemitic organisation.
The initial presidential ballot was annulled in December because of evidence of suspected Russian interference in favour of Georgescu, a strong critic of Nato and western support for Ukraine. Moscow has rejected all accusations of meddling.
Amid claims of “massive” social media promotion, Georgescu, who was polling in single digits before the ballot and declared zero campaign spending, has also denied any wrongdoing and called the annulment a “formalised coup d’etat”.
“I – on behalf of my voters, but also of all those who, although they have other political options, want a democratic and free Romania – am fighting this security system that wants us in slavery,” he posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
“The communist Bolshevik system is continuing its heinous abuse,” Georgescu added, accusing the Romanian authorities of seeking to “invent evidence to justify stealing the election and to do anything in their efforts to block a new candidacy from me”.
Prosecutors said earlier that they had raided 47 addresses of Georgescu’s associates as part of an investigation into alleged offences including “establishing an organisation with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character” and “false statements” regarding campaign financing.
Georgescu has praised Romania’s 1930s fascist leaders and lauded Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, as “a man who loves his country”. Polls show he has a clear lead in the 4 May rerun, although it is not certain that he will be allowed to stand.
The promotion of fascist leaders and Nazi, racist or xenophobic symbols are banned under Romanian law and carry a prison sentence, although cases have rarely been brought to court.
The decision by Romania’s constitutional court to annul the first-round vote caused outrage at home and abroad. Thousands took to the streets of Bucharest on Saturday to support Georgescu and others gathered at the prosecutor’s office on Wednesday.
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Members of Donald Trump’s administration have also sharply criticised Romania, an EU and Nato member state, for the decision, with the US vice-president, JD Vance, saying it showed that Romania did not share American values.
Vance said that the ruling was based on “flimsy suspicions” and made under “enormous pressure” from Romania’s neighbours. Elon Musk has also labelled the chief judge of the court a “tyrant”.
On Wednesday, Musk posted on his social media platform, X: “They just arrested the person who won the most votes in the Romanian presidential election. This is messed up.” Georgescu has not been arrested.
Romania’s prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, said on social media: “The judiciary is independent and the law must be applied regardless of persons.”
