April 4, 2025

A Direct Blow to the Heart of Democracy? Illiberal Liberalism and the Romanian Presidential Elections

Sabina Grigore

Just Access Representative to the UNODC

Romanian Presidential Elections, democracy, far right, illiberalism, kremlin, liberalism, populism, romania, romanian presidential election 2024, Russia, United States, washington

Chaos, confusion, and social fragmentation. These are the words that best describe the situation in Romania since December 2024, when the Constitutional Court annulled the presidential elections following presumptions of Russian interference in the electoral process. This situation sparked significant public mistrust, particularly concerning the country’s vulnerability to internal and external threats to its democracy.

Concerns arose when Călin Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate, won the first round of elections in November 2024. Despite running a massive campaign, mainly on TikTok, that is estimated to have cost around 50 million euros, he claimed he spent no money on financing his campaign.

Georgescu’s discourse was typical of the right-wing extremists in Romania. He argued that the Romanian economy should become self-sufficient, that any aid to Ukraine (which directly borders Romania) should be stopped, and that Romania should exit the European Union and NATO. This was done all while citing a wide range of sources, from members of the Iron Guard, an interwar fascist Romanian movement, to, surprisingly, The Lord of the Rings.

His candidacy was supported by both Washington and the Kremlin.

Both Russia and the United States decried the cancellation of the Romanian elections and stood behind Georgescu.

Russian and American Denunciation of Georgescu’s Removal from the Romanian Presidential Elections

Notorious for meddling in elections in foreign countries, Vladimir Putin criticised Romania by saying, “[a] candidate was not to the liking of the authorities, so they decided to recount the votes.” Meanwhile, J.D. Vance, the Vice President of the United States, condemned the situation by saying, “[y]ou don’t have shared values if you cancel elections because you don’t like the result, and that happened in Romania.” Both politicians decried the cancellation of elections and both stood behind the same candidate.

They showed unwavering support even when the Constitutional Court of Romania decided, on the 11th of March, 2025, to bar Georgescu from the rerunning of the presidential election in May 2025. Co-opting human rights rhetoric and democratic discourse, President Putin called the blocking of Georgescu’s candidacy “a violation of all democratic norms in the center of Europe.” At the same time, Elon Musk, a direct advisor of President Trump, asked on X, “[h]ow can a judge end democracy in Romania?”

Far-right populism should be examined as a form of ‘illiberal liberalism,’ where elements of liberal thought are selectively used to promote policies that are, in essence, anti-liberal.

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Georgescu’s Illiberal Liberalism

Georgescu himself does not shy away from talking about human rights and democracy. On X, he called the Constitutional Court’s decision “[a] direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide,” and stated that “Europe is now a dictatorship, Romania is under tyranny!” Despite his fervent anti-globalist rhetoric, he brought a case before the European Court of Human Rights, complaining that the decision to annul the December elections was unfair to him. His application was declared inadmissible and thus, his complaint was rejected. Moreover, even though in his public statements he talks about peace, freedom, and dignity, he is indicted on six counts, including, among others, affiliation with antisemitic organisations and the promotion of fascist symbols.

While the attitudes portrayed above might seem contradictory, they are part of a larger movement where liberal jargon is co-opted to serve different political agendas. The distortion of human rights rhetoric by far-right movements across Europe is often observed, particularly regarding minority rights, to portray these rights as threats to national sovereignty. At the same time, these movements strategically use language around fundamental freedoms, such as the freedom of speech, to boost their legitimacy and authority, making their positions more appealing to a wider electorate.

This forces us to reconsider the idea that liberalism and populism are entirely antithetical. Instead, we should, perhaps, examine far-right populism as a form of “illiberal liberalism,” where the elements of liberal thought are selectively used to promote policies that are, in essence, anti-liberal. Ultimately, this development challenges the core tenets of liberal democracy and underscores the need for vigilance in protecting democratic principles from being instrumentalised for the worse.

The Romanian Presidential Elections - Where Next?

In Romania, the destructive narratives related to the presidential elections and, above all, to Georgescu’s candidacy led to violent riots all over the country. The intertwining of external powers like Russia and the United States, and the polarising impact of such events on the Romanian electorate, revealed a deeply fragmented political landscape. While calls for peace are being made, the future of Romania remains uncertain. However, what is certain is that the country’s political stability and democratic integrity are at a critical crossroads, with the outcome likely to shape its future trajectory and its role in the international sphere.

Just Access e.V. is a non-party political organisation, whose mission is to support human rights and access to justice worldwide. The views and opinions expressed in this piece and those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of Just Access e.V.