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Last week, one of the largest demonstrations ever witnessed in Bucharest took place. But why?

In Romania, the frontrunners in the first round of presidential elections, which saw the participation of 13 candidates, were Elena Lasconi, a liberal-conservative and pro-West/NATO figure, and Calin Georgescu, a far-right, anti-NATO/EU candidate and a self-proclaimed “TikTok star.”

Georgescu’s victory in the first round sent shockwaves across the West. However, just two days before the second round, the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round.

Intelligence reports claimed that Georgescu’s TikTok-focused campaign bore the marks of “Russian interference.” However, Romania’s National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) later revealed that Georgescu’s TikTok campaign was not funded by Russia but by the pro-European National Liberal Party (PNL). Nevertheless, the annulment decision was not reversed.

Georgescu is one of the most intriguing figures in European politics. A far-right politician, he sparked controversy in 2022 when, in an interview with Antena 3, he referred to Romania’s pro-Nazi former dictator Ion Antonescu and Zelea Codreanu, founder of the racist and anti-Semitic Iron Guard, as “heroes.”

However, in a country like Romania, one of the largest recipients of U.S./NATO investments, the real obstacle to Georgescu’s leadership is not his far-right stance but his anti-NATO views.

Georgescu had described NATO’s ballistic missile defense shield in Deveselu as a “diplomatic disgrace” and argued that Romania should remain neutral in the Ukraine war. He stated, “It’s clear that the situation in Ukraine is being manipulated. A conflict is being provoked for the interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex and its arms industry.”

He also criticized the European Union (EU) as a failed project aimed at enslaving Romania.

The societal unrest following the annulment of Georgescu’s victory demonstrates that the far-right leader enjoys significant support among the public. Approximately 50,000 people reportedly participated in today’s rally.

The protest was organized by the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR, Alianța pentru Unirea Românilor), founded in 2019 and led by George Simion. A nationalist-conservative party, AUR advocates for the unification of Romania and Moldova (Unirea) and promotes traditional morality rooted in Catholic and Orthodox values.

The party also opposes LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, mandatory vaccinations, and restrictions. It caused a major surprise in the 2020 parliamentary elections by securing nearly 9% of the vote.

In summary, this reflects a broader trend across Europe, where populations, driven by demands for economic stability and security, disillusionment with the current political climate, and skepticism towards Western alliances like the EU, are increasingly seeking alternatives outside the political mainstream. In the absence of a genuine center-left, these discontented masses are turning to far-right figures and parties as a solution.

This is a rising trend, not just in Romania but across Europe, and one that warrants close attention. The future of Europe will likely be shaped by these movements.