Romania Charges Former Presidential Candidate Georgescu with Coup Attempt

Far-Right Politician Faces Serious Allegations

Romanian prosecutors have formally charged former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu with attempting to overthrow the government through a violent coup. The far-right politician, who surprisingly won the first round of the 2024 presidential elections before they were annulled, allegedly planned to incite mass violence during protests against his electoral disqualification.

Russian Interference Allegations

The case reveals deeper concerns about foreign interference in Romanian politics. According to Prosecutor-General Florenta, "Russia employed artificial intelligence and internet trolls to fuel unrest in Romania through a sophisticated disinformation campaign supporting Georgescu". The operation specifically targeted disaffected groups within Romanian society, creating online echo chambers where unfounded claims spread rapidly.

Weapons and Evidence

Authorities intercepted a group of armed men traveling to Bucharest the night before planned protests. Their vehicles contained axes, knives, explosives, and pepper spray. Prosecutors allege this was a militia group organized by wealthy Georgescu supporter Horatiu Potra, who has since fled to Russia and is being charged in absentia.

Political Context

Georgescu's surprising electoral success in November 2024, where he received 23% of the vote, was followed by allegations of Russian-backed social media manipulation. The Constitutional Court subsequently annulled the election results and scheduled new elections for 2025, from which Georgescu was excluded.

President Nicușor Dan, elected in May 2025, described the investigation as "consistent evidence of systematic Russian disinformation operations in Romania and their substantial influence on last year's presidential elections". He emphasized this represents "a matter of national security" and called for further media investigation into the publicly disclosed evidence.

Eighteen suspects are already in custody, while Potra and two others remain at large. Georgescu, already under enhanced supervision for previous charges, has denied involvement in disinformation campaigns and has not yet responded to the new allegations.