Former Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu will face trial for spreading fascist propaganda, Politico reports.
The prosecutor’s office said in a press release that between the 16th of June, 2020 and the 16th of May, 2025, Georgescu repeatedly promoted fascist propaganda in interviews, social media posts and public speeches. He is also accused of glorifying radical historical figures, such as the war criminal and leader of the Romanian government during World War II, Marshal Ion Antonescu, and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, founder of the fascist paramilitary group Iron Guard.
If convicted, Georgescu could face three months to three years in prison, and possibly more, given the long-term nature of the offenses.
The case filed by Bucharest’s 1st Sector Court covers only statements related to the state apparatus that existed in Romania for five months in 1940-1941. However, an investigation into Georgescu’s other offenses is still ongoing, including a possible attempt to overthrow state power.
Georgescu became known to the wider public when he ran in the Romanian presidential election in November 2024, where he won 22.9% of the vote in the first round. The country’s Constitutional Court later annulled the election results due to evidence of interference by foreign services, including Russia, and a disinformation campaign organized on the TikTok. The politician is known as a radical far-right and a vocal opponent of NATO and the EU.
The elections were held again in May, and Georgescu was barred from running. He announced that he was retiring from politics.
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