In the first 24 hours since Călin Georgescu definitively withdrew from the race, on the so-called sovereignist corridor we already have 5 candidates for the presidential elections in Romania.
Some we expected, others you may not have heard of or who yesterday said they had no intention of running.
Let's take them one by one:
- Victor Ponta
We start with him because he is the only one who has already submitted his candidacy, with a red cap on his head, in the style of Donald Trump.
The whole country knows him: he was prime minister (who resigned after Colectiv), he was the head of the PSD (thrown down the stairs by Liviu Dragnea), he was a presidential candidate (defeated by Klaus Iohannis, after the diaspora voting scandal).
He has never hidden his sympathies for the major powers in the East - either Russia or China.
After officially entering the race for Cotroceni, Victor Ponta was only today excluded from the PSD.
2. George Simion
We had a surprise with Simion on Wednesday. After saying on Tuesday evening that he would not run, today he announced that he would enter the race after all, probably a bit pressured by the party he risks losing to his friend Claudiu Târziu, who himself was willing to run if necessary.
Simion also ran in the fall, when he only got 13.86%. And it seems that with the help of the PSD (who wanted him in the second round with Marcel Ciolacu). It wasn't meant to be for either of them.
It remains to be seen if he manages to gather the necessary signatures by Saturday.
And the leader of AUR has another major problem: That statement about skinning those who have a connection to the rejection of Mr. Georgescu's candidacy, even if toned down the next day. It's the kind of incitement to violence that is just right for the CCR to conclude that it doesn't fit the presidential profile. For now, he's facing a criminal case.
3. Anamaria Gavrilă
Today, in a surprising move, the leader of POT, Anamaria Gavrilă, announced her candidacy for the presidency. The announcement came after the meeting she and Simion had with Călin Georgescu.
After the validation of the candidacies, only one will remain in the race, and the other will withdraw. Theoretically. In practice, if both pass the BEC and CCR filters, then both will be on the ballot (we have a precedent with Ludovic Orban).
Anamaria Gavrilă entered Parliament in 2020 on the AUR lists, but she left the party and founded the Party of Young People (POT), a party that supported Călin Georgescu.
Shortly after POT managed to enter Parliament in December, Gavrilă announced that she would fast for three days with only water. She constantly sends out such religious messages. But she's also a master of fakes.
Recently, she made a fool of herself in a viral interview. She promoted a post containing the term "Sorosist," then stated that she "doesn't know" what it means and that she doesn't agree with labeling in society.
4. Diana Şoşoacă
A unique character, through the violence with which she does politics, Diana Şoşoacă needs no introduction. Her most recent exploits: commemorating a Legionary hero and assaulting journalists right in Parliament (Video HERE). There are cases at the Prosecutor's Office.
In the fall, she was not allowed to run, but she's making another attempt. At that time, the CCR judges decided that Șoșoacă cannot run because her beliefs are not compatible with democratic values. The judges also said that if Șoșoacă were to become president, it would jeopardize Romania's membership in the EU and NATO.
Alongside Victor Ponta, she wanted to be a candidate anyway, even if Călin Georgescu could have entered the race. She has already gathered the required signatures and will submit them to the BEC on Thursday.
5. Anton Pisaroglu
A new name for the general public is Anton Pisaroglu. Călin Georgescu's consultant, who has also worked with Viorica Dăncilă, George Simion, and Nicușor Dan, claims in a video recording that he is the solution for Romania. His words are eloquent and need no further comment.
- No, I am not Călin Georgescu's backup. He is irreplaceable.
- I am an international political strategist. I have represented Romania at the highest level.
- Presidents from Africa seek me out for strategic partnerships with Romania.
- International publications, such as Politico or Forbes, seek my advice.
- I will surely be attacked, they will say I am Russia's man and not the truth, that I am a great friend of the Trump administration.
- They won't say anything about my career in high-performance rugby.
- They won't say that I helped build a church in Sardinia, that I love Orthodoxy, and live in the service of God.
Pisaroglu claims he has already collected over 100,000 signatures out of the required 200,000 for submitting his candidacy.