Tens of thousands rally in support of NATO-skeptic Romanian politician (VIDEO)

Calin Georgescu, whose victory in the first round of the presidential election last November was annulled, is now facing charges that he calls politically motivated

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Bucharest on Saturday to demand that the second round of the annulled Romanian presidential election take place rather than a new vote be held. The protests come after Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled in December the results of the first round, which saw right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu win with 23% of the vote.

In January, Romania's ruling coalition approved a rerun of the presidential election, the first round of which is scheduled for May 4. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, a runoff will follow on May 18.

The Romanian authorities cited supposed “irregularities” in Georgescu’s campaign, claiming without proof that Russia had covertly supported him. The politician is known as a critic of NATO and the EU and a staunch opponent of aiding Ukraine.

Saturday’s rally, organized by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, drew participants from across the country to Bucharest’s Victory Square. AUR leader George Simion and Georgescu were in attendance. Organizers claimed that nearly a million people turned out, although several media outlets reported lower figures.

The demonstrators in front of the government’s headquarters chanted “Down with the Government,” with placards demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. According to media reports, there were several isolated altercations between protesters and police, which had a large presence in the Romanian capital.

Simon proclaimed that the protest on Saturday was pursuing the goals of “returning to democracy, supporting free elections and expressing protest against the government.”

He warned that similar rallies would follow until the authorities paid heed to the dissatisfaction felt by large sections of the Romanian population.

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Georgescu stated that “Romanians are fed up with corruption and state security forces.” He urged the demonstrators to “repossess our country.”

On Wednesday, police briefly detained the politician and conducted dozens of raids on his supporters. After being questioned by the Prosecutor General’s Office, Georgescu was released, but barred from leaving the country, making social media posts or appearing on TV. He faces a total of six charges, including “anti-constitutional acts” and misreporting finances, the authorities said in a statement.

The politician claims that he has fallen prey to the Romanian “deep state.”

Earlier this week, he asked US President Donald Trump for help against what he described as a political persecution campaign against him.

Georgescu’s arrest drew condemnation from Trump-appointed government efficiency tsar Elon Musk, who described the Romanian government’s actions as “messed up.”

US Vice President J.D. Vance similarly hit out at the government in Bucharest while speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February.