INTRODUCTION
GOVERNMENT EMBROILED IN CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS AFTER ANNULLED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Romania has seen deep unrest ever since the 2024 presidential election was annulled, as public dissatisfaction with the status quo has grown, and right-wing extremists have capitalised on growing tensions. The 24th November 2024 election was annulled after a previously unknown pro-Russia far-right candidate, Călin Georgescu, suddenly won the first round. This has led to allegations of misconduct in relation to campaign finance and online advertising linked to Russian interference, which previous CIVICUS reporting explores more deeply.
In early February, the ruling party deepened its unpopularity by adopting a budget that aimed to reduce the deficit through austerity measures. These spending cuts caused criticism and intensified existing unrest over the annulled election and general failures to reform the government.
On 10th February 2025, this negative public sentiment culminated in the resignation of President Klaus Iohannis. He stepped down to avoid impeachment proceedings over the election nullification, which were being pushed by ultranationalist parties including the Party of Young People (POT), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), and S.O.S. Romania, joined by Members of Parliament from the Save Romania Union (USR). Iohannis called the motion to impeach him useless, asserted that he never violated the constitution, and added that if proceedings were to take place, there would be “no talk about how the country will move forward. The (presidential) candidates will not be able to present their ideas in this negative mix. Externally, the effects will be long-lasting and very negative. We will be the laughingstock of the world”. Senate President Ilie Bolojan of the National Liberal Party stepped in as acting president until the new presidential elections could be held.
24th February 2025 marked a watershed moment for the growing power of the far-right in Romania. Right-wing political organisers were able to gain over 200,000 signatures to formalise Călin Georgescu’s candidacy in the presidential rerun election, which was scheduled for 4th May 2025.
However, on 26th February 2025, Georgescu was arrested on his way to file his new candidacy for president. He was indicted under charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, spreading false information, and membership in an anti-semitic, neo-fascist organisation. In connection with his arrest, police searched 47 sites in relation to a group of 27 people for “acting against Romania’s constitutional order” and creating “an organisation which spreads fascist, racist and xenophobic messages”. Horațiu Potra, a former mercenary with ties to Georgescu and who has been described by officials as “an extremely dangerous man”, was one of the targets of these searches. Potra was already arrested late last year under suspicion of planning to “instigate unrest in Romania”.
The searches resulted in the confiscation of around one million euros and various weapons. The latest reporting indicates that over 3000 firearms were seized by Romanian police during investigations in the last year, with many of them linked to Potra.
Also on 26th February, right-wing parties AUR, S.O.S., and POT filed a no-confidence motion against the government led by Social Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, but they lacked sufficient votes, so it ultimately failed.
On 6th March 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected Georgescu’s bid to overturn the election annulment. The termination of his candidacy was cemented on 9th March when Romania’s central election authority barred him from running in the 4th May presidential elections. While Georgescu lamented that the decision was a “direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide,” it was upheld by the Constitutional Court on 11th March, after Georgescu appealed the decision.
The move sparked outrage and unrest, as former mercenary Potra reentered the political conversation and called on soldiers and citizens to take up arms. Messages obtained by Digi24 revealed that Potra sent messages that said “Call your colleagues and friends and go to the fight, boys!... If we are not able to do something, who will? Go to your towns, go to Bucharest, with your scythes, pitchforks and axes… the globalists’ coup continues” and “now all of Romania must boil over”. Violent protests did ensue and are detailed in the ‘Assembly’ section of this report.
As a result of the court ruling, far-right parties announced new candidates for President on 12th March: George Simion, the leader of AUR, and Anamaria Gavrils, the leader of POT. However, they clarified that this move was temporary and intended to consolidate far-right support before a final candidate could be chosen. Crin Antonescu is running to represent the ruling liberal coalition and Nicușor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, is running as an independent.
NGOS AND OPPOSITION CRITICISE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AROUND ELECTION RERUN RULES
Amid existing and widespread criticism surrounding a lack of transparency behind the decision to annul the 2024 presidential election, new critiques emerged when the Romanian government approved new election rules and dates via emergency decree for the 4th and 18th of May 2025.
Vague language about social media content left questions about whether personal political posts were subject to regulation instead of being limited to content published by political actors or on their behalf. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also contested that political advertising rules outlined in the decree “conflict with existing laws on election financing and organisation, creating further confusion”. The provision to impose heavy fines on large platforms also seems to contradict the EU Digital Services Act, which asserts that only the European Commission, not Romanian institutions, has the authority to regulate such platforms.
Ten NGOs (Expert Forum, Active Watch, ApTI – Association for Technology and Internet, Center for Public Innovation, Center for the Study of Democracy, Spiritual Militia, Respiro Human Rights Research Centre Association, Civic Resource Center, Maria Krause – independent electoral expert, and CeRe: Resource Center for Public Participation) made a statement saying that the “non-transparent development and discussion of fundamental rules related to the organisation of the May elections without consulting key stakeholders is unacceptable” and called for public discussion on “all critical aspects related to the regulation of the new elections” to rebuild public trust.
Others, including the opposition USR party, also took issue with new voting hours that will seriously impact Romanians voting abroad. Government spokesman Mihai Constantin noted that polling stations in Western countries will close at 9 pm Bucharest time instead of the local time, defending the choices as necessary to prevent undue influence on the vote. Elena Lasconi, leader of the opposition USR party, called the new rule discriminatory. In a Facebook post, she said, "at 9 pm in Bucharest, it’s 11 am in Los Angeles and 2 pm in Montreal. This is a serious violation of the right to vote for Romanians in the diaspora”.
ROMANIA DETAINS SIX FOR ALLEGED COUP PLOT, RUSSIAN TIES
On 6th March 2025, six people were detained by the Romanian government on suspicion of treason. The six citizens are suspected of organising a paramilitary group set up in 2023 to launch a coup against the Romanian government. A 101-year-old former army general and holocaust denier was among the suspects detained.
The group also solicited support from foreign agents, within both Romania and Russia. Two of the defendants travelled to Moscow in January to meet with and secure support from individuals for their efforts to overthrow the constitutional order and install a new government. They also “took steps to negotiate with external political-military actors regarding Romania’s withdrawal from NATO”. Attached to these arrests, authorities raided eight homes in the cities of Bucharest, Ilfov, Giurgiu and Maramures, in which they seized evidence. That same day, Romania expelled two Russian military diplomats from the country.
FORMER ROMANIAN PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER CHARGED WITH CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
Former President Ion Iliescu and Prime Minister Petre Roman were indicted by Romanian prosecutors for brutally suppressing protests in the country in 1990, which culminated in the ‘Mineriada’ (Miners’ Riots). The issue was last raised in 2017 when Iliescu was ordered to stand trial on these same charges, but the case was subsequently dismissed by the high court, which ruled the indictment invalid. On 2nd April 2025, it was announced again that they would stand trial for their involvement in this incident.
In June 1990, demonstrators gathered in Bucharest’s University Square to voice their opposition to the new government and called for the removal of ex-communist officials and secret police from public office. In response, the government leveraged illegal forces and bussed in thousands of miners to attack protestors. Four people were shot dead, two were raped, and over a thousand were injured. Both Roman and Iliescu have denied the allegations, claiming they were merely trying to maintain public order.
ASSOCIATION
ELON MUSK ATTACKS NGOS, ACCUSES THEM OF TRYING TO DESTROY DEMOCRACY
On 3rd March 2025, a meeting between social media platforms, European and Romanian authorities, and civil society was held on preventing disinformation in the upcoming Romanian presidential election rerun. In response to it, Elon Musk took to X and claimed “The NGOs are trying to destroy democracy!” while amplifying a misleading post from right-wing Romanian influencer Mario Nawfal. These claims amount to dangerous efforts to delegitimise and intimidate civil society.
Several of the civil society participants in the roundtable discussion issued responses firing back at his comments, including the NGO Expert Forum. In a published statement, the organisation asserted that “the real threat to democracy is not NGOs holding major platforms accountable, but the use of influence and disinformation to intimidate and discredit citizens who are fighting against attacks on Romania’s democracy”.
Activewatch, another civil society organisation present, made a statement clarifying “we promote freedom of expression, but we also believe in the correct and transparent implementation of those regulations and codes of conduct that create a framework for the responsible exercise of this fundamental right. This is all the more important in a complex electoral context such as the one Romania is going through”.
ROMANIAN RIGHTS GROUP SEEKS DISMISSAL OF ENERGY MINISTER OVER SLAPP LAWSUIT INCITEMENT
In March 2025, the Romanian Helsinki Committee, APADOR-CH called for the dismissal of Romania’s Energy Minister, Sebastian Burduja, after he publicly urged energy companies to file SLAPP lawsuits and seek “maximum damages” from NGOs challenging projects in court. The minister accused such organisations of acting in bad faith and undermining the national economy. His remarks came as the government was finalising legislation to transpose the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive, aimed at protecting civil society from abusive lawsuits.
APADOR-CH argued that Burduja’s statements contradicted democratic values and the government’s own commitments, and urged Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to take a clear stance in support of civil society.
ASSEMBLY
PROTESTS OVER ANNULLED ELECTION CONTINUE
Since the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential election on 6th December 2024, two days before a run-off in which pro-Russia far-right populist Călin Georgescu had suddenly emerged as a frontrunner (see previous CIVICUS Monitor reporting for more), protests against the court ruling have been ongoing.
On 10th January 2025, thousands of people gathered in front of the Constitutional Court to protest the election annulment. According to Radio Free Europe, the ePACE platform organised the protest. At the time, new elections had yet to be rescheduled, but they have since been set for 4th May 2025. There were no reports of police violence, but there were cases of violence against journalists, which are detailed below under “Expression”.
On 12th January 2025, another protest took place, with demonstrators marching to Cotroceni Palace, the official residence of the President of Romania, to demand new elections and the resignation of the current president, Klaus Iohannis. The right-wing opposition party AUR claimed 100,000 people gathered for this march, but other estimates put that number at around 20,000. George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), spoke at the protest, claiming “we are protesting against the coup d’état that took place on 6th December”. In spite of evidence that Georgescu’s presidential bid was tainted by breaches of election regulations and foreign interference, protestors displayed slogans like “democracy is not optional” and “we want free elections”. Again, there were no reports of police violence but there were cases of violence against journalists, which have been compiled below.
On 10th February 2025, several hundred people protested in Victoriei Square in Bucharest. The event took place on the day Călin Goergescu called on his supporters to boycott supermarkets. In support, some protestors sold eggs, cheese, bacon, and milk in front of the government building. This occurred on the same day that President Iohannis announced his resignation. Right after the news broke, demonstrators broke through barriers erected by the Gendarmerie and attacked law enforcement. After individuals threw a firecracker and smoke bombs, law enforcement responded with tear gas and detained several people for criminal and misdemeanour offences.
On 21st February 2025, thousands of people once again protested in the streets of Bucharest against the Constitutional Court’s ruling. The protest signified the undeniably growing support for far-right ultra-nationalist populism. On the weekend of the protest, the AUR announced it had gathered over 200,000 signatures, putting their petition well above the legal threshold to formalise Călin Georgescu’s presidential candidacy. There were no reports of police violence.
On 1st March 2025, tens of thousands of protesters gathered for another demonstration in response to Georgescu’s arrest on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and membership in a neo-fascist organisation. People chanted slogans like “Down with the Government” and “Thieves” while expressing their support for Georgescu. The AUR organised the protest, and party leader George Simion, in a speech to supporters, asserted “we are united, we are strong. We are here because our vote was stolen. Because democracy was trampled on.” He also cast doubt on the scheduled 4th May elections, saying “We do not trust that the upcoming elections will be free and fair”. At the protest, some individuals attempted to breach cordons set up by law enforcement and others threw water bottles and plastic crates at them. Despite this, there were no reports of use of force by police, but several misdemeanour fines were issued.
PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT AFTER CALIN GEORGESCU IS DISQUALIFIED FROM PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RERUN
On 9th March 2025, hundreds of Georgescu supporters in Bucharest attempted to forcibly enter the premises of the electoral commission. They protested against the news that Georgescu had been excluded from the re-run of the presidential elections, despite his objection. Police used tear gas on protestors after they broke through barricades and threw stones, firecrackers and bottles, and set fire to furniture from nearby cafes. One car was turned over and windows of bars were also smashed. Police arrested seven people, and 13 police officers were injured.
EXPRESSION
JOURNALIST REVEALS HE WAS SURVEILLED FOR TWO MONTHS IN 2023, CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS ANSWERS
On 17th March 2025, journalist Victor Ilie and his partner, another journalist, Luiza Vasiliu, published a piece in Balkan Insight that detailed how Ilie was spied on for two months in 2023 by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) in Romania. The information in the article was obtained from documents obtained from the DNA after the investigation against the journalist was closed on 21st September 2023. Ilie and Vasiliu were physically followed by six undercover surveillance officers for two days on 8th and 9th March 2023, and his phone was tapped for two months between 8th March and 24th April 2023. At the time, he was working with the RISE Project and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), investigating the Ukrainian grain trade through Romania.
Ilie and Vasiliu noted that at least three other Romanian investigative journalists, Rareș Neamțu, Tudor Leahu and Andrei Viliche, were similarly targeted by the DNA since 2018. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Press Institute (IPI), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released a joint statement expressing serious concern over the news and called for “scrutiny by both national and European authorities” given that the surveillance was overly extended without clear justification.
Romanian organisations ActiveWatch, Centrul pentru Jurnalism Independent (Centre for Independent Journalism), International Press Institute (IPI), and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) also penned a joint statement criticising the revealed wiretapping for the same reasons and calling for further clarification over the scope of the surveillance. Such incidents signal worrying infringements on journalistic rights and the freedom of the press.
PROTESTORS HARASS AND ATTACK JOURNALISTS
Since 3rd January 2025, there have been at least four reported events of right-wing protestors harassing or attacking journalists.
Two of those incidents occurred on 10th January 2025 during a protest in Bucharest against the Constitutional Court’s decision to annul the 2024 presidential election. Protestors vandalised the car of Antena3-CNN news channel Observator, attempting to deflate the car's tyres and ripping off its licence plates. At the same protest, several journalists were also verbally and physically harassed. Protestors threw pretzels and water bottles at Digi24 reporter Ioana Corneev and a camera operator while they were reporting live at the scene, also shouting insults and threats. The Gendarmes identified and sanctioned seven perpetrators, and prosecutors are pursuing criminal charges of property damage against one of them.
On 24th January 2025, Digi24 and Prima TV journalists and camera operators were again harassed by far-right pro-Georgescu protestors. During a live broadcast, protestors became hostile towards journalist Valentin Stan, shouting “liar” and criticising the Digi24 channel. They pulled the camera operator to stop him from continuing to film and pushed the reporter. Gendarmes were present at the scene, but did not intervene. A similar incident also happened at the protest with a Prima TV crew.
On 9th March 2025, a Digi24 van was again vandalised by pro-Georgescu protestors. They pushed over the van, and the demonstration itself escalated into violence between police and protestors. The Prosecutor’s Office announced on 10th March that it had initiated criminal proceedings against four people for disturbing public order and peace.
JOURNALIST RESIGNS FROM OUTLET DUE TO EDITORIAL INTERFERENCE
In a statement published on 23rd January 2025, Realitatea Plus journalist Monica Vasilescu announced her resignation from the news site via a Facebook post, citing politicised editorial interference. It reads:
“I’ve ended my collaboration with Realitatea.net after six years! The reason is Călin Georgescu. I have no interest in calling him the 'elected president', as he likes to style himself for those asleep in ignorance. I won’t make a mockery of myself or my work. The only regret I have is aimed at my colleagues, with whom I worked harmoniously and efficiently. New challenges are ahead for me. I am staying in the field. I love this profession and I don't want to do anything else. I’m not a particular talent, but I like to work and write as objectively as possible!”
She later clarified that editors specifically directed her to refer to Georgescu as ‘the president-elect’ in news stories immediately after 1st January 2025 — a request that stands against the political reality in Romania. When asked to comment, Realitatea said “We learned about this decision from her Facebook. No one ever suggested she write something against her own conscience. Everyone chooses their own path in life.”
TV ANCHOR THREATENED AND INSULTED AFTER COMMENTS ON LEGAL DISPUTE BETWEEN FOOTBALL CLUBS
On the night of 22nd January 2025, the fence outside the house of popular Prima Sport TV anchor Emil Grădinescu was vandalised. The incident happened after he had made public statements about a legal dispute between FCSB and CSA Steaua Bucharest, two Romanian football clubs, in which he took the side of FCSB. Investigation by law enforcement into the vandalism is ongoing.
Also in response to the anchor’s statements, fans of CSA Steaua posted threatening messages against the journalist on 23rd and 24th January 2025. One message posted on social media read “Emil Grădinescu looks like he wants to become a martyr at all costs”, while a group of fans hung a banner in front of the stadium with a vulgar message referring to the journalist as a “palace servant.” These incidents represent worrying acts of intimidation against a journalist.
GOVERNMENT TARGETS ‘ILLEGAL ONLINE CONTENT’ AHEAD OF ELECTION RERUN
In the run-up to the repeat presidential election, the Romanian government has taken several steps to strengthen its approach to regulating online content through new legislative measures and enforcement powers. While the stated aim of the new measures is to prevent illegal acts such as incitement to hatred and the dissemination of false information deemed harmful, the moves have raised concerns about freedom of expression and potential political abuse.
On 14th March 2025, minister of economy, research, innovation, and digitalisation Ivan Bogdan announced new measures against online manipulation to step up the Romanian government’s efforts to crack down on “illegal online content”. In a press release on 13th March, education minister Daniel David said, “Freedom of expression can stand as long as it does not promote illegal content, as long as it does not attack human dignity, as long as it does not represent bullying.” He also shared a guide that would enable social media users to “understand what rights they have and how they can notice, for example, online content that is illegal and should be removed.” Such illegal content would include incitement to hatred based on specific criteria, including one’s level of education or social category, as well as content glorifying totalitarian regimes, denying their crimes, and distributing false and misleading information about subjects like public health, elections, and social and economic crises.
In February 2025, Romania proposed new legislation to regulate social media platforms more strictly than provided for in the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA). This draft law includes measures such as limiting the spread of potentially harmful content to no more than 150 users and requiring the removal of illegal content within 15 minutes of publication. Platforms failing to comply could face fines amounting to 1% of their turnover.
The proposal also empowers various state institutions, including the Permanent Electoral Authority, the National Audiovisual Council, the Romanian Intelligence Service, and the Ministry of Defence, to request the deletion of posts or blocking of users' access to them. Critics have raised concerns about the potential for political misuse, especially during elections, and the lack of clear criteria distinguishing between harmful content and legitimate expression.
NATIONAL AUDIOVISUAL COUNCIL ORDERS REMOVAL OF JOURNALIST’S SHOW AND OTHER VIRAL CONTENT FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, POINTING TO FALSE AND DESTABILISING MESSAGES
On 26th March 2025, following through on government promises to regulate online speech more heavily, the National Audiovisual Council (CNA) ordered the removal of a YouTube video in which journalist Marius Tuca claimed the decision to annul the 2024 presidential elections was a “coup d’etat”. In the video, titled “Democracy has been trampled” he says:
“I still can’t believe how they pulled off this coup, not the ones from the Constitutional Court, because you…, you kind of expected that from them. But the ones from the [Electoral Bureau], some obscure nobodies tasked with drafting the decision before it was even made. They came in on a Sunday evening and just cut the power, cut off democracy, cut what little was left of this already mafia-run state.”
Currently, the video is still online. All members of the council except for Georgică Severin, appointed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), voted in favour of the move. They claimed the video violated Art. 3 paragraph 2 of the Audiovisual Law which states “media service providers have the obligation to ensure objective information to the public by correctly presenting facts and events and to favour the free formation of opinions”. The decision faced widespread criticism, as people alleged that the order violated freedom of expression and the journalist was only expressing their opinion.
The Council also issued an order for other platforms, including TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, to remove several other pieces of online content, the complete list of which has been published by News.ro.
Human rights watchdog APADOR-CH requested that Parliament dismiss Vasile Bănescu from the CNA for professional incapacity. The organisation argued that Bănescu's public statements, suggesting journalists should not challenge state institutions, demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of democratic principles and freedom of expression.
The CNA's decision to remove the commentary from the internet was seen as a serious infringement on press freedom, especially as it involved a subjective opinion on a matter of public interest. APADOR-CH cited European Court of Human Rights case law to underline the legitimacy of criticism towards public authorities and emphasised the CNA’s obligation to uphold these standards. The group urged Parliament to act, warning that the CNA risks becoming an instrument of censorship rather than a guarantor of free expression.
ELON MUSK ATTACKS ROMANIAN SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATOR OVER CENSORSHIP CLAIMS
On 10th March 2025, Elon Musk took aim at the Vice President of Romanian telecom and media regulator ANCOM, Pavel Popescu ,in a post on X. Attaching a picture of Popescu, Musk wrote that “you can tell who the bad guys are by who is demanding censorship”. The Romanian regulator fired back, defending their recent tougher stance on social media platforms. Popescu said they are not censoring speech, but instead “fighting an information war with Russia to stop election meddling”. In the wake of the November presidential election annulled over allegations of Russian interference, Popescu told POLITICO in an interview that they were fighting a “hybrid war [...]. We are fighting it at the highest level with all the institutions.”
ANCOM oversees the Digital Services Act in Romania, which is a piece of European Union legislation that governs how social media platforms like TikTok and X moderate online speech. They also recently cooperated with Musk’s Starlink, allowing them to test controversial new applications in Romania. In light of Musk's new comments, Popescu quipped that Musk “owes us more than a debate for what we did for him as a country, for his companies”.