Romanians gather to express their solidarity with Europe in the face of electoral tensions.

 Romanians gather to express their solidarity with Europe in the face of electoral tensions.


Thousands of Romanians took to the streets of Bucharest on Saturday in a show of support for the European Union, as political tensions escalate ahead of a presidential election rerun scheduled for May.

Controversial Election Rerun

Romania will hold a repeat of its two-round presidential election on May 4 and 18 after the Constitutional Court annulled the initial December vote, citing allegations of Russian interference in favor of frontrunner Calin Georgescu.

The decision has placed Romania, an EU and NATO member, at the center of a broader dispute between Europe and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump over free speech and political suppression.

Georgescu, who has denied any involvement in election meddling along with Moscow, has been barred from participating in the upcoming rerun, further fueling controversy.

Pro-EU Demonstrations

On Saturday, pro-European demonstrators flooded the streets, waving EU and Romanian tricolor flags, chanting anti-Russian slogans, and holding banners with messages such as "Unity and Respect – Europe Gives Us Rights" and "Free Your Mind – No to Russian Wisdom."

"Romania must stay in Europe, not drift toward Russia," said Laura Dumitrache, a 54-year-old nurse attending the protest.

The demonstration also featured a reading of the "Manifesto for Europe," a document backed by over 40 civil society organizations from Romania and the diaspora.

Election Candidates and Rising Tensions

The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) approved four candidates for the presidential election on Saturday while rejecting the application of ultra-nationalist politician Diana Sosoaca.

With the candidate registration deadline set for midnight on March 15, the BEC has until March 17 to finalize the list of contenders.

Amid rising tensions, the National Audiovisual Council has asked TikTok to remove content inciting violence against BEC members.

Georgescu has not endorsed any alternative candidate, adding further uncertainty to the race. Meanwhile, centrist and independent candidates prepare to compete against the hard right, which has been scrambling to find a replacement for the disqualified frontrunner.







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