Presidential elections due on Sunday were called off because of alleged Russian interference
Far-right presidential candidate Catalin Georgescu speaks to the media upon arrival at a protest against the annulment of the presidential elections. Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty ImagesThe frontrunner in the annulled vote, far right candidate Calin Georgescu, had called on supporters to gather around closed polling stations on Sunday, the day of the now cancelled run-off.
“No one ever can close the door in the face of Romanians, especially not the state institutions,” Mr Georgescu said. “The state must be open to people, not closed ... The institutions let Romanians choose their destiny and not allow others to choose for them.” The country’s constitutional court on Friday took the unprecedented decision to annul the first round of the vote that took place last month and which was topped by Mr Georgescu, a previously little-known fringe ultranationalist who expressed sympathy forFormer US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney exits Senate with reminder of political principles‘I’m here for the long haul’: American veterans make new home in Ukraine as fears over US support grow Romania is the first democracy to cancel an election over alleged Russian interference, although similar allegations of Moscow-backed influence campaigns were made in advance of European Parliament elections in June and more recently, in Moldova’s EU referendum and presidential elections.The 20 men arrested late on Saturday were led by a former Foreign Legion mercenary called Horatiu Potra, and carried guns and machetes in their cars when they were stopped by police. Mr Potra told journalists at a police station in Ploiesti, a city 80km north of the capital, where he was taken in for questioning that he had been driving to Bucharest but refused to comment on why there were weapons in his and his fellow travellers’ cars. Mr Potra, whose history includes stints fighting in Africa alongside other mercenaries, has backed Mr Georgescu. He has been photographed together with Russia’s ambassador to Romania, and had contacts within the now dissolved armed Wagner Group formerly led by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin. President Klaus Iohannis on Sunday called for calm and unity and urged Romanians not to respond to “provocations” of any kind. The Romanian Orthodox Church also made an unusual appeal for its priests and believers — many of whom are backing Georgescu, who espouses ultrareligious views glorifying the Romanian nation — not to take part in any demonstrations on Sunday. The country remains deeply divided after the cancellation of the vote, with a new presidential poll to be held once a coalition government is formed following parliamentary elections last week. There were no reports of violence as Mr Georgescu and other far right politicians staged demonstrations in Bucharest and other cities. The nationalist AUR party Mr Georgescu had been previously affiliated with gathered across the country at closed polling stations. “Today, Romanians were supposed to choose their president,” AUR chair George Simion told supporters. “The system has decided that they’re not allowed to do so ... We want free elections!” Mr Simion questioned the truthfulness of the arrests, suggesting it was a scaremongering tactic. “We know how manipulation works”, he added.Georgia’s president says she talked with Trump, Macron about ‘stolen election’Paul Mescal on Saturday Night Live review: Gladiator II star skewers America’s bizarre views about IrelandMotorist dies and teenager critically injured in separate road incidents in Co Kerry
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