Romanian presidential frontrunner criticizes ‘authoritarian’ France`s Macron

(MENAFN) Romanian presidential frontrunner George Simion has accused France of trying to undermine democracy in Romania ahead of Sunday’s runoff vote. Simion, a vocal critic of the European Union, won the first round of Romania’s presidential election rerun on May 4, securing over 40% of the vote.

The rerun was prompted by Romania’s Constitutional Court annulling the November election results, in which independent right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu emerged as the leader with 23%. The court cited "irregularities" in Georgescu’s campaign and alleged Russian interference—claims that Moscow has denied. Simion, the leader of the right-wing Alliance for the Union of Romanians, has shown support for Georgescu and suggested he could appoint him as prime minister if elected.

In a recent interview, Simion accused France of exerting pressure on Romania’s top court, media regulator, and businesses to sway the election. “They are using significant money and influence—through their ambassador and foreign institutions—to rob the Romanian people of their vote,” he stated.

Simion also compared France’s recent legal actions against conservative politician Marine Le Pen, who was barred from running in the 2027 presidential election due to an embezzlement conviction. He criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for supporting such moves, calling him “authoritarian” and accusing him of attempting to impose a dictatorship in Romania.

Simion condemned the invalidation of the 2024 election results as a "coup d’état" and expressed defiance against foreign pressure. He emphasized that Romania is a sovereign nation and warned that Macron’s imperialistic tendencies would ultimately backfire. The French ambassador to Bucharest, Nicolas Warnery, acknowledged Romania’s decision to restart the presidential election but framed it as part of a broader “hybrid attack” on the country.

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