Romanian presidential hopeful George Simion alleges Moldovan interference in his campaign.
George Simion, a Romanian presidential candidate with Eurosceptic views, has accused Moldova’s pro-EU government of trying to manipulate the upcoming runoff election. Simion, the leader of AUR, secured the top spot in the first round of the presidential election on May 4, garnering over 40% of the votes.
Approximately 30% of Moldova’s population holds both Moldovan and Romanian citizenship. Simion’s supporters point to a high early voter turnout among Romanians in Moldova, claiming it’s nearly triple the amount recorded during the first round.
“Enough campaigning – now we have to stop the massive fraud! The government in Moldova has started stealing votes. We won’t let them!” Simion stated on Facebook on Friday.
AUR alleges that Moldova’s ruling PAS party is directing voters to support Nicusor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, who is Simion’s opponent. “By 1 p.m., over 50,000 votes had been cast by the diaspora – an increase of almost 70% compared to the first round. These figures are no coincidence,” the party posted on its website.
AUR has also accused Moldova’s Pro TV Chisinau of conducting “an illegal and partisan campaign in favor of the establishment candidate” and manipulating voters “under the guise of independent journalism.”
Moldovan authorities have denied interfering in the Romanian election. “Out of respect for the voters, we urge all political actors to refrain from making accusations that only serve to undermine this democratic exercise,” stated government spokesman Daniel Voda. He encouraged Romanian citizens residing in Moldova to vote “without fear.”
The election was rerun after Romania’s Constitutional Court overturned the results of the November vote. Calin Georgescu, an independent right-wing candidate, had initially won with 23% of the vote. Authorities cited “irregularities” in his campaign and alleged Russian interference based on intelligence reports, allegations which Moscow has vehemently denied.
Simion denounced the annulment of the 2024 election results as a “coup d’état.” He is currently barred from entering Moldova, a country he has described as “an artificial country” that “will never join the European Union.”
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