Leaders of Romanian far-right parties AUR and POT announce presidential bids, one to withdraw after validation

Romanian far-right leaders George Simion (AUR) and Anamaria Gavrilă (POT) have announced their candidacies for Romania’s 2025 presidential election following the invalidation of Călin Georgescu’s bid. The two politicians stated that only one of them would remain in the race after their candidacies are officially validated.

Simion, the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), urged supporters on Facebook to mobilize quickly to collect the necessary signatures. He emphasized that their movement, which he described as "sovereignist," would continue with Georgescu’s approval, Euronews Romania reported.

Meanwhile, Gavrilă, the head of the nationalist Party of Young People (POT), echoed the same message, calling on supporters to rally behind their campaign.

Both candidates need at least 200,000 valid signatures to formally enter the race, with the submission deadline set for March 15.

The first round of Romania’s presidential election is scheduled for May 4, with a potential runoff on May 18.

Far-right populist Călin Georgescu cannot run in Romania's May presidential elections after the Constitutional Court (CCR) rejected on Tuesday, March 11, all challenges against the Central Electoral Bureau's (BEC) decision to invalidate his candidacy. The top court's ruling is final and binding.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / George Călin)