George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, criticized French President Emmanuel Macron during his Paris visit for allegedly meddling in Romania's upcoming presidential runoff. Simion, who is running against pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, described the situation as a 'coup d'etat' and accused Macron of imposing 'dictatorial tendencies.' Romanian elections were annulled last year amid claims of foreign influence, sparking controversy. As the election draws near, Simion remains confident in his chances despite narrowing polls, signaling a crucial moment not only for Romania but also for European political dynamics.
My message is very clear: 'Back off!' It is not your job... to get involved with the free sovereign will of the Romanian people.
You are not an emperor, you are not loved even by the French people, so these attacks... are not what we should do in a united Europe.
Simion comfortably topped a first round of voting on May 4, gaining close to 41 percent, but polls suggest that his rival Dan has since narrowed the gap.
France's minister for Europe, Benjamin Haddad, posted on X that he 'deeply' deplored the 'offensive remarks about France' and the spread of 'false information'.
Collection
[
|
...
]