DISINFO: Elections in Romania are unfair, as well as elections in France
SUMMARY
Even if Georgescu wins in the second round, there is a Constitutional Court that is controlled by the West, there is a parliament where Georgescu's peace initiatives will be blocked.
Nevertheless, look at the numbers: twenty-two percent for Georgescu, fourteen percent for Simion - that is, thirty-six percent of the Romanian electorate as a whole have a good attitude towards Russia. Here is the question facing democracy: why is the opinion of thirty-five percent of the population not reflected in foreign policy? I will remind you using the example of France. Do you know how many percent elected Macron? - Well, about twelve percent. - Twenty-three or something in the end, meaning in the presidential elections. - Less than Marine Le Pen and less than the leftists from Unbowed France. But through manipulation, through various intimidations of the electorate, that if you behave hostilely towards the United States, then it will be painful, there will be no loans, there will be nothing else there, people are afraid and in the end the conservatives win.
RESPONSE
Disinformation claim about a lack of democracy in Europe and in Romania and France in particular. The elections processes in Romania and France are transparent and highly competitive.
Romania’s president has a semi-executive role with significant decision-making powers over national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments.
After a ballot recount, the Romanian Constitutional Court validated the first round of the presidential race. The Constitutional Court’s unanimous decision came after it had asked the Central Election Bureau to recount and verify all 9.4 million ballots cast in the country in the first round of the presidential election on Nov. 24. The Election Bureau approved the request and proceeded with the recount. Calin Georgescu, a far-right independent candidate, won the first round. Georgescu will face reformist Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union party, in the second round of the election.
Georgescu ran a viral TikTok campaign focused on reducing Romania’s need for food and energy imports and ending aid for Ukraine. Several Romanian influencers have apologized for promoting Georgescu in exchange for money. Romanian authorities have therefore also ordered an investigation into the source of funding for these TikTokers, Libertatea reported.
During the last French presidential election of 2022, Emmanuel Macron got 27,85% of votes in the first round and 58,55 in the second round becoming the winner. During the campaign none of the candidates discussed the subject of loans from the United States to France.
See Freedom House' description of France's and Romania's democratic electoral processes.