Election in EU and NATO country: Romania: Are extremists moving parliament to the far right?

The dazzling right-wing extremist, Putin supporter and esoteric friend Calin Georgescu has shaken up Romania’s politics with his surprising success in the first round of the presidential election. The 62-year-old, who was hardly known before the election, could now also move the parliament in the EU and NATO country to the far right, which will be re-elected this Sunday. The most important questions about Georgescu and his possible influence on the parliamentary election:

Born in Bucharest, he portrays himself as an anti-system person who comes from outside the political establishment. The qualified agricultural engineer is deeply rooted in Romania’s state apparatus. As an expert in environmental policy and sustainable development, he worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment in Bucharest in the 1990s. From 2010 to 2012 he worked for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and later for the non-profit organization Club of Rome, which promotes sustainability.

Since 2021 he has been a lecturer at a branch of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest in Pitesti, 100 kilometers northwest of the capital. From 1993 to 1994 he was a British government scholarship holder for a training program in the management of natural parks. In 2007, he completed a postgraduate course at the National Defense College in Bucharest, the classic training ground for politicians in Romania.

How did Georgescu get attention and sympathy?

In recent months he has promoted himself primarily with videos on the Tiktok app. In previous years, he had appeared on various niche TV channels that like to spread tabloid content and conspiracy theories. He was interviewed there as an expert on world politics. He was repeatedly a speaker at events organized by right-wing extremist clubs and in churches. He found his audience primarily with two main themes: on the one hand, with Christian Orthodox faith, combined with esotericism, presented in the style of preachers, and on the other hand, with the ideology of the Romanian fascists.

What else is striking about Georgescu?

He utters calendar sayings such as: “Water is the key to life, but it is misunderstood. It is the subtle energy that connects spirit with matter” or “Christ is risen so that the Romanian people will become a lighthouse of the world”. Or also: “The spirit must die so that there is freedom” and “A caesarean section is a tragedy because it breaks the divine thread.” There are hundreds of such sayings from him.

Doesn’t he lose political credibility as a result?

Romania is no stranger to the combination of politics and esotericism. Even before the Second World War, fanatical Christian faith was a central element of the fascist ideology, which was then represented in Romania by the “Legionnaires”. Georgescu has glorified prominent figures of the Romanian fascists on several occasions, including war criminals. Because this is forbidden in Romania, there is a complaint against him – what came of it is not known.

Why does Georgescu inspire people in Romania with this?

Some of his ideas have cross-party resonance because the fascist past has not been dealt with broadly and in detail. Some “legionnaires” enjoy recognition as anti-communist resistance fighters. In addition, diffuse anti-globalism is widespread. Georgescu serves this with the conspiracy theory of “new-satanic neo-marxists” in the western world who wanted to take over the helm.

Who is currently in government and what are the forecasts for the parliamentary elections?

Romania is currently governed by a grand coalition of Social Democrats (PSD) and Citizens (PNL) under Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu (PSD). In the latest survey by the AtlasIntel Institute, the extreme right-wing AUR party was ahead with 22.4 percent, followed by PSD with 21.4 percent and the conservative-liberal USR with 15.5 percent. PNL is therefore 13.4 percent. Furthermore, two other parties that are even further to the right than AUR are just below the 5 percent threshold and could enter parliament.

How can Georgescu influence the parliamentary election?

Georgescu, who is independent of a party, has not officially voted for any party in the parliamentary election. However, the current right-wing AUR party is supporting him in the presidential election campaign and has made a voting recommendation for Georgescu for the runoff of the presidential election on December 8th. According to observers, she did this because she wanted to do better in the parliamentary elections. The success of presidential candidates in Romania has always inspired the parties that support them.

Would Georgescu have a chance of pushing his ideas through in parliament?

The president determines foreign and security policy in Romania and is involved in controlling the secret services. He cannot introduce legislative initiatives, but he can delay passed laws. In principle, the AUR should become stronger in the election in the parliament. The party, founded in 2019, was strengthened by propaganda against corona protective measures, flanked by prominent dignitaries from the Orthodox Church. There is likely to be a disagreement with AUR on the Russia issue. Because AUR is part of the EKR group in the EU Parliament, which is critical of Russia. However, two more parties could now come into parliament that are even further to the right than AUR.

How does Georgescu show his closeness to Russia?

Statements such as: “Romania’s opportunity lies in Russia’s wisdom” are well known. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin does nothing other than love his country. Furthermore, Russia’s war against Ukraine does not exist; news about it is a fabrication.