**Romania: Right-Wing Populist Detained and Charged**
A Romanian presidential candidate, Calin Georgescu, was arrested by police on February 26. He is accused of crimes related to the country’s recent elections.
Georgescu is a pro-Russian candidate who has called Ukraine a “fictional state.” He won 23% of the votes in the first round of the election, beating a pro-EU reformist candidate.
The Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first-round vote after finding evidence of “organized manipulation from abroad.”
**Charges Against Georgescu**
Georgescu has been charged with incitement to actions against the constitutional order and other crimes. He was allegedly on his way to register his candidacy when he was detained.
The Romanian Prosecutor General’s office has accused Georgescu of working with a state actor to influence the election results through social media. This is similar to allegations made by Romania’s foreign intelligence agency (SIE), which said that aggressive Russian hybrid attacks contributed to Georgescu’s victory.
**Reactions and Implications**
U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized the court decision to annul the election result, saying it was due to “flimsy suspicions” and pressure from abroad.
Elon Musk responded to news of Georgescu’s arrest by calling it “messed up.”
The Trump administration has pressured Romania to allow Georgescu’s candidacy to proceed despite evidence of Russian interference. A new first round of presidential elections is scheduled for May 4, but the current indictment could interfere with Georgescu’s ability to run a second time.
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