The first round of the Romanian presidential election, which was held on Sunday November 24, upset the traditional political balances. Among the fourteen candidates in the running, an outsider unknown to the general public, Calin Georgescu, admirer of Vladimir Putin and critic of NATO and the European Union, defied all predictions by coming in first with 22.94% of the votes. .
“Economic insecurity has transformed into political insecurity. My victory reflects the awakening of a people tired of being humiliated”declared, after the announcement of the results, this 62-year-old engineer in pedology (science studying soils), former special rapporteur for human rights at the UN, who claims to belong to the Orthodox Church , majority in Romania. Obviously, his anti-system and sovereignist speech resonated with many Romanians looking for alternatives. In any case, it embodies a shift to the extreme right in a country neighboring Ukraine at war.
Calin Georgescu’s breakthrough raises concerns within NATO, which considers Romania a strategic pillar for European defense. The country, which has 19 million inhabitants, is home to several Atlantic Alliance bases. More than a thousand French soldiers are deployed on its territory, which is home to an American anti-missile shield.
Backhand for the left
In the context of the war in Ukraine, Calin Georgescu’s past statements, openly critical of NATO, are cause for concern. “The anti-missile shield is a disgrace. This is not a defense, but a policy of confrontation. He will not bring us peace,” he thus denounced in 2021. This position contrasts radically with the current line of Bucharest.
His victory in the first round of the presidential election was also hailed in the Russian press, like the international information agency Ria Novosti, cited by the daily Kommersantwho writes: “Mr Georgescu’s breakthrough is a surprise. NATO membership does not guarantee Romania’s security. »
Calin Georgescu is not alone. George Simion, the leader of the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), obtained 13.87% of the votes. Aged 38, he became known for his nationalist speeches and a meteoric political rise. Member of Parliament since 2020, he proposed Calin Georgescu as prime minister in the midst of a government crisis.
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