Co-founder of Romania's isolationist party AUR resigns citing authoritarianism

Claudiu Târziu, a member of the European Parliament and co-founder of Romania's isolationist far-right Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR), announced his resignation from the party on April 9, denouncing what he described as the increasingly authoritarian leadership of AUR president and presidential candidate George Simion. The announcement was made in a blog post titled "farewell letter," in which Târziu accused Simion of turning AUR into a personal vehicle for power and dismantling its ideological foundation.

Claudiu Târziu, regarded as AUR's principal ideologist, said the transformation of the party into what he called "the George Simion Party" began in early 2024, culminating in a dictatorial regime that prioritized loyalty over strategy or principles.

"I feel like I'm being chased out of my own house by my children because I tried to stop them from setting it on fire," Târziu wrote.

He criticized Simion for strategic failures during last year's European and parliamentary elections and condemned the expulsion of hundreds of members from the party, which he argued severely damaged its cohesion and public credibility.

His resignation follows a decision by AUR's National Leadership Council, meeting on April 4 in Slănic Moldova, to suspend Târziu from office and ban him from contesting any future positions within the party. The internal disciplinary action underscores deepening divisions within the AUR leadership, coming just weeks before the presidential elections scheduled for May 4 and 18, in which Simion is currently the frontrunner in most opinion polls.

Despite his resignation, Claudiu Târziu pledged to continue his political activity, announcing intentions to form a new political organization that he described as "more efficient and more durable." While the prospect of a fully-fledged rival party remains uncertain without AUR's logistical and media infrastructure, Târziu's movement could potentially serve as a conservative platform with influence in future electoral cycles.

The departure of one of AUR's founding figures may further consolidate George Simion's grip over the party but also risks exacerbating internal discontent and pushing the party deeper into the far-right spectrum. While the short-term impact on Simion's presidential campaign remains unclear, the internal rupture signals longer-term instability within Romania's most prominent nationalist political formation.

(Photo source: Facebook/Claudiu Tarziu)