Latest news with #CalinGeorgescu
Yomiuri Shimbun
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Social Media and Elections: Politics Today / Japan Needs to Prepare for Foreign Interference in Polls; Constitutional Reform Referendums a Likely Target
The Yomiuri Shimbun A collage of images taken at political gatherings This is the third and final installment in a series that examines how political parties understand and are dealing with the confusion caused by social media during elections. *** Loud cheers broke out among Romanian voters on the morning of May 18, when a presidential election candidate appeared at a polling station in the suburbs of Bucharest. But the focus of the attention on the day of the runoff for the country's presidential poll was not the candidate but the man standing next to him, Calin Georgescu. The venue was plunged into frenzy as excited supporters chanted 'President Georgescu!' Far-right, pro-Russian Georgescu came from nowhere to win the first round of an election in November last year, aided mostly by a flood of TikTok videos promoting his campaign. Through the short videos, Georgescu amassed support from people dissatisfied with the government. But the Romanian constitutional court annulled the election after intelligence authorities and others disclosed confidential documents revealing about 25,000 fake social media accounts with confirmed links to Georgescu's campaign and that about $380,000 (¥55 million) had been paid to more than 100 influencers involved in the propaganda activities. Russia's involvement was also suspected, leading to Georgescu being barred from running in the presidential election rerun held in May. While large-scale foreign interference in elections has not yet been confirmed in Japan, it is a growing possibility. 'Efforts to influence public opinion in Japan via the internet are being carried out. A Russian-linked news agency had been manipulating influencers and spreading posts using bots,' a former high-ranking government official said. While not providing details, the former official said that U.S. authorities informed Japan several years ago that it was a target of Russia's intervention in elections. Subsequent investigations found relevant pro-Russian activities online, and the situation was reported to the Prime Minister's Office. The threat is not limited to elections. In Britain, Russian or Iranian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum was alleged. In Japan, referendums on constitutional reform could be a target. 'If their primary goal is to divide public opinion, referendums on constitutional reform serve as the perfect target,' said Keiro Kitagami, an independent member of the House of Representatives. 'Japan has been protected from such interventions thanks to the language barrier, but now that translation systems have become so sophisticated, we need to be aware of the danger.' Constitutional amendment being freely and openly debated on both sides is desirable. It is common knowledge among political parties that the expression of opinions should be 'as free as possible with minimal restriction.' However, such lax regulations and a high possibility of intense debate on the issue leave a lot of room for foreign forces to exploit the situation. Concerns were raised at a meeting of the House of Representatives' Commission on the Constitution on April 10, where the issue of how to deal with false and misleading information on social media in the event of a national referendum was discussed. Many participants said it is important to strengthen fact-checking measures. 'We must resolutely prevent foreign forces from interfering in referendums through fake news,' said Keishi Abe of the Japan Innovation Party. At a meeting of the commission on May 22, J. F. Oberlin University Prof. Kazuhiro Taira said he expects the active involvement of the mass media in fact-checking efforts. He added that the efforts should be led by the private sector rather than public institutions. There are many other issues that need to be addressed, including measures to prevent the monetization of social media under the guise of election campaigns and placing more responsibility on platform operators. In order to safeguard the integrity of speech, the Diet has only just begun to move its heavy feet. (This series was written by Koichiro Shigematsu, Maki Sanbuichi, Takahito Higuchi and Yumiko Kurashige.)
United News of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Romanian right-wing-leader and presidential contender Calin Georgescu steps down from politics
Bucharest, May 27 (UNI) Calin Georgescu, the once-surging right-wing presidential contender in Romanian elections, has announced he is stepping down from politics, months after being barred from running in the controversial 2025 presidential election. In a video message shared on social media, Georgescu said, 'The presidential elections have come to an end. With this in mind, I have decided to end my active participation in the political process, as I believe this stage of the sovereignty movement has come to a close.' He added that his decision was not a resignation, but 'a responsible choice,' and that he now intends to focus on his family, according to Politico. Georgescu's brief rise stunned the Romanian political establishment. In November 2024, he garnered 22.9% of the vote in the first round, catapulting him from political obscurity to national prominence. However, the Constitutional Court later annulled the result, citing credible evidence of foreign interference—reportedly involving Russian-backed influence campaigns on social media platforms such as TikTok. The court barred Georgescu, a vocal critic of the EU and NATO, from running in the rescheduled May 2025 election citing national security concerns over alleged fascist ideologies. The annulment sparked protests at home and condemnation abroad. High-profile figures including US Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk accused Romanian authorities of suppressing the opposition. The presidency was eventually won in May 2025 by centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who defeated George Simion, leader of the nationalist AUR party and a close political ally of Georgescu. Georgescu, who built a populist platform in Romania and was noted for both his nationalist stance, as well as his vocal criticism of the EU and NATO, had built a considerable voter base in the country, emerging as one of its most dominant political voices. Regarding his leave from politics, he said he has no plans to join another party or movement. But his message to supporters ended with a warning: 'If the rights of those who choose differently are violated, I'll return with a clear voice to defend democracy.' UNI ANV RN
The Advertiser
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Former far-right populist quits Romanian politics
Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, has announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape in November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. "I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life," the 63-year-old said in a video posted online on Monday. "I choose to remain outside any political party structure ... I am not affiliated with any political group in any way." Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election re-run held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was sworn in on Monday. Dan, a former Bucharest mayor, beat hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated "the sovereignist movement has come to a close". "Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast," he said. The outcome of Georgescu's success in 2024's chaotic election cycle sent shock waves through Romania's political establishment. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a man who loves his country" and questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organisations, among other charges. Prosecutors in Bucharest on Tuesday said they were extending the criminal investigation against him after remarks he made on television earlier in May, which could be interpreted as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s.
Los Angeles Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who upended Romanian presidential race, withdraws from politics
BUCHAREST, Romania — Calin Georgescu, the controversial populist whose bid for Romania's presidency last year resulted in the annulment of an election in the European Union and NATO member country, announced he is stepping away from political life. Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Georgescu's nominal successor. Georgescu said he made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close.' 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. He sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but says he is not pro-Russian. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organizations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it's extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Georgescu became a cause célèbre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as U.S. Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticized Romania for annulling the vote. Georgescu has argued the election was 'canceled illegally and unconstitutionally,' and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalized,' Georgescu said Monday, adding he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people.' McGrath writes for the Associated Press.
Russia Today
27-05-2025
- General
- Russia Today
Banned ex-Romanian presidential front-runner quits politics
Former Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu has stated that he will be withdrawing from politics, following the victory of a pro-EU candidate in a presidential election rerun from which he was banned, earlier this month. Georgescu, a former UN official, ran as an independent in Romania's November 2024 presidential election, campaigning on national sovereignty, criticism of Bucharest's involvement in NATO and the EU, and opposition to continued military aid for Ukraine. Having won the initial round of voting, his victory was annulled by the country's Constitutional Court, citing 'irregularities' in his campaign along with intelligence reports alleging Russian interference—claims Moscow has denied. The election was rerun on May 18 without Georgescu on the ballot. In a video address published on Monday, Georgescu stated that he has chosen to become a 'passive observer of public and social life' and to end his 'active involvement in the political process, considering that this stage of the sovereignist movement has ended from my point of view.' He also stated that he would not join or lead any political party or attempt to hold 'any position in the Romanian state in the current situation.' Instead, Georgescu said he will focus his attention and energy on his family. Georgescu left open the possibility of returning to public life, if he sees that 'the rights of those who have chosen differently are being violated or injustices and abuses arise.' Romania's electoral authorities banned Georgescu from taking part in this month's rerun - a decision that was also upheld by the Constitutional Court, citing alleged violations of campaign finance rules and national security concerns. He was replaced on the ballot by Euroskeptic candidate George Simion - the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party. Simion lost in the second round of voting to Bucharest Mayor and EU supporter Nicusor Dan. The right-wing candidate has since refused to recognize the results, citing a 'coordinated international interference' campaign. Moscow has described Romania's latest election as 'strange, at the very least,' noting that Dan did not secure victory until Georgescu - the frontrunner - was disqualified. Telegram founder Pavel Durov also claimed last week that Nicolas Lerner, the head of French foreign intelligence, personally urged him to censor conservative voices on the platform ahead of the Romanian election.
