The German term zeitgeist , “spirit of the times” in Germanis used to define the intellectual climate of a given era. There are increasing signs that ultranationalism, right-wing populism and illiberalism politician are now the zeitgeist. There is an unstoppable rise in anti-system proposals. Donald Trump in the United States, Marine Le Pen in France, Alternative for Germany, Víktor Orbán in Hungary, the ultra parties in Austria, Holland, Sweden or Denmark… The list is long and is expanding at a dizzying pace.
The latest example has been the surprise victory and against all odds of the ultra candidate Calin Georgescu in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania. He has taken almost one in four votes (22.9%). The second round, the final one, will be held on December 8. The president in Romania has power, especially in foreign and security policy. Approves defense spending, appoints prosecutors and go to the European summits.
“Georgescu is extreme right, with some fascist overtones. Mix the populism, orthodox nationalism [de la Iglesia ortodoxa rumana] and a marked rejection of NATO and the EU and in favor of Putinism,” he explains to this newspaper. Camil UngureanuRomanian political scientist at the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona.
Georgescu is in some ways to the right of the far-right AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) party. In January 2022, shortly after being named honorary president of the AUR, he stated that Romanian fascist leaders Corneliu Zelea Codreanu and the marshal Ion Antonescu “they also did good deeds” and that they could be considered heroes and martyrs. Codreanu was the leader of the Legionary Movementa fascist group from the interwar era that mixed orthodoxy, antisemitism and the use of political assassinations. Antonescu, for his part, was responsible for mass deportations of Jews during the Second World War, among other atrocities, the analyst recalls. After these statements, Georgescu was expelled from the AUR. He then decided to run alone as an independent in the presidential elections.
Since he did not have the resources of the party, he launched a very powerful campaign on social networksespecially TikTok. “Even I myself found myself bombarded with short videos of him on YouTube,” explains Ungureanu, for whom the Romanian leader is similar to other Spaniards such as Santiago Abascal or ‘Alvise’ Pérez. “Georgescu is like and influencer political. Without a party machinery or a clear program, Georgescu managed to obtain almost 25% of the votes thanks to the skillful and systematic use of TikTok and other similar media.
Doubts about support for Ukraine
“Georgescu has a chance to win. And, if it does, it would join a group of countries that oppose the dominant line in the European Council in Brussels on issues such as armaments and Defense,” he says. Ruth Ferreroprofessor of Political Science at the Complutense University of Madrid.
For the analyst, what is being seen globally is a disconnection between the demands of voters and the ruling elites. “It is not so much Georgescu that he is pro-Russian. There is a mismatch between the leadership and what the citizens want. It is the trend that we are going to continue seeing: people are voting with everyday and pocket questionsbut EU leaders are betting on the rearmament of the EU and the defense policy frameworks,” analyzes Ferrero. “All this in a framework of Russian disinformation and hybrid war, but on a basis of disenchantment on which it is more likely that these disinformation campaigns will succeed.”
The impact on European politics could be relevant, if he finally reaches the presidency. Until now, Romania had remained “quite outside the illiberal drifts of other countries such as Hungary, Slovakia or now Bulgaria or Czech Republic“concludes Ferrero. “Now it could join these Eastern European countries that have very sovereign impulses against the pro-Europeans.”
Make Romania Great Again
The countries of Eastern Europe, such as Romania itself or Poland, emerged scalded from the communism that the Soviet Union represented. They now generally see Russia as their heir and They warn against Putin’s expansionism. When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, they supported the country and sent weapons. But that front is seen more and more diminished by movements within those countries who, without being pro-Russian, are critical of continuing to support Ukraine.
“What Georgescu has done in the campaign it’s not so much supporting Putinbut to warn: be careful against the risk of the war expanding. That we are very close. Especially if it arrives in Moldova,” he explains. Ignacio Molinaresearcher at the Elcano Royal Institute. “Then Georgescu appears as a ‘Romanian-style Trump’, saying that it makes no sense to give weapons to Ukraine and that the war is increasing energy costs and making the economy go badly.” Romania first; Make Romania Great Again.
Molina He does not believe that Georgescu will finally become presidentbut in any case he considers that a front has opened in the eastern countries that doubts the EU’s closing ranks with Ukraine. For the analyst, the key now lies in the arrival of Donald Trump to the White House, the ‘disruptor in chief’ and most important leader in setting the West’s position vis-à-vis Russia.
