Romania's far-right presidential candidate denounces canceled vote at closed polling station

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s defiant far-right presidential candidate, Calin Georgescu, on Sunday stood outside a closed polling station to denounce a top court’s unprecedented decision to annul the first round of the vote in which he emerged as the frontrunner.

The Constitutional Court on Friday canceled the election after a trove of declassified intelligence alleged Russia organized a sprawling campaign across social media to promote Georgescu.

“Today is Constitution Day and there is nothing constitutional in Romania anymore. I am here in the name of democracy,” Georgescu, 62, told media in Mogosoaia, outside Bucharest. “By canceling democracy, our very freedom is canceled.”

The court cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as undeclared sources of funding. Without naming Georgescu, the court said one candidate received “preferential treatment" on social media platforms, distorting voters’ expressed will.

Despite being a huge outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu topped the polls in the first round on Nov. 24, and was due on Sunday to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a runoff.

Thirteen candidates ran in the first round of the presidential race in the European Union and NATO member country, the aftermath of which was gripped by myriad controversies including a recount of the vote ordered by the same court.

New dates will be set to rerun the presidential vote from scratch.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in a statement marking Constitution Day on Sunday that “we find ourselves in a moment of profound responsibility toward the values ​​that characterize us as a nation.”

“The Romanian Constitution defines the framework within which the state and political life operate, serving as a shield against threats to democracy,” he said. “In turbulent times, state institutions are called upon to act with calm, wisdom and respect for the law, the Constitution and democracy.”

George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, told reporters outside a closed polling station in Bucharest on Sunday that the annulment amounted to an attack against democracy, saying Iohannis should “take a step back and respect the Constitution, not mock it.”

“It is Constitution Day. It is a day of significance for Romanians. It is a day when Romanians should have gone to vote freely,” he said, adding that “blood was shed for this 35 years ago,” referring to Romania’s revolution in December 1989 that overthrew communism.

After Georgescu unexpectedly topped the polls in the first round, his success left many political observers wondering how most local surveys had placed him behind at least five other candidates before the vote.

Many observers attributed his success to his TikTok account, which now has 6.2 million likes and 565,000 followers. But some experts suspected Georgescu’s online following was artificially inflated, while Romania’s top security body alleged he was given preferential treatment by TikTok over other candidates.

On Saturday, Romanian prosecutors conducted raids at three properties in the central city of Brasov linked to Bogdan Peschir, who is suspected of illegally financing a campaign to promote Georgescu. The raids were based on suspicions of voter corruption, money laundering and cyber fraud, prosecutors said.

The secret services alleged that Peschir paid $381,000 (361,000 euros) to TikTok users to promote Georgescu content on the Chinese-owned platform. Intelligence authorities said information they obtained “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate Georgescu’s popularity.

There is no clear link between Peschir and alleged Russian interference. Russia denies meddling in Romania.

On Friday, Georgescu's would-be opponent Lasconi also strongly condemned the court’s decision to annul the elections, saying it was “illegal, immoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy” and that the second round should have gone forward.

Calin Georgescu, center, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections shakes with a supporter outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A man records video of Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, speaking to media outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Calin Georgescu, front center, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections shakes with a supporter outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Calin Georgescu, center, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections shakes with a supporter outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A man waves the Romanian flag outside the closed voting station where Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, was supposed to vote, after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Calin Georgescu, center, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, speaks to media outside a voting station demanding to be allowed to vote after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

A poster of Elena Lasconi, presidential candidate who entered the presidential runoff in second position, is placed outside the closed voting station where Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, was supposed to vote, after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

A man records video of Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, speaking to media outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A man holds a religious icon outside the closed voting station where Calin Georgescu, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections, was supposed to vote, after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Calin Georgescu, foreground, an independent candidate for president who won the first round of presidential elections gestures outside a closed voting station after Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.

Francis stood up from his wheelchair, knocked on the door to the chapel at Rebibbia prison and walked across the threshold, reenacting the gesture he performed at the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica two nights earlier on Christmas Eve.

The opening of the Holy Door at the basilica officially kicked of the Jubilee year, a church tradition dating to 1300 that nowadays occurs every 25 years and involves the faithful coming to Rome on pilgrimages.

"The first Holy Door I opened at Christmas in St. Peter's. I wanted the second one to be here, in a prison," Francis told the inmates before he entered. “I wanted each of us here, inside and out, to have the possibility of throwing open the door of our hearts and understanding that hope doesn't disappoint.”

Francis dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to hope and made clear that prisoners would be an important part of it: The final grand event of the Jubilee is a special Mass for inmates at St. Peter's on Dec. 14, 2025. Francis has long made prison ministry an important part of his priestly vocation and has made several visits to Rebibbia since becoming pope in 2013 while also including prison visits in many of his foreign trips.

His message is always one of hope, believing that people who are serving prison sentences need something to look forward to more than most. That is especially true in Italy, where prison overcrowding and inmate suicides are at record highs, according to the Antigone Association, which tracks prison conditions.

According to Antigone's 2024 report, 88 prisoners killed themselves in Italian lockups this year — more than any other year — and Italy's inmate population was 132% over the system's capacity.

In his homily, Francis suggested the prisoners think of hope as an anchor that is fixed on the ground and that they try to hold tight to the rope that is attached to it, even if it sometimes hurts their hands.

“Hold onto the rope of hope, hold onto the anchor," Francis said. “Never let it go.”

Francis’ outing to Rebibbia on a frigid morning was his final big event of the week after he celebrated Christmas Eve Mass on Tuesday evening at St. Peter’s Basilica and delivered his Christmas Day blessing from the loggia overlooking the square.

The 88-year-old pope, who often suffers from respiratory infections in winter, has a few days to rest before gearing up for New Year’s Eve vigil and Mass the following day.

Francis’ 2025 involves a dizzying calendar of Jubilee events that will sorely test his stamina, with special Jubilee Masses for all the main groups of pilgrims who are being celebrated during the year: Adolescents, migrants, teachers and law enforcement, among others.

So far, he has only one foreign trip under study: A May visit to Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

The motorcade escorting Pope Francis arrives at the Rebibbia Prison where the Pontiff symbolically opens a Holy Door with inmates in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis arrives at Rebibbia prison for the event of the opening of the Holy Door of the chapel at the prison in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

In this image released by Vatican Media, Pope Francis opens the holy door marking the start of the Catholic jubilar year 2025 before presiding over the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Vatican Media, HO)

In this image released by Vatican Media, Pope Francis opens the holy door marking the start of the Catholic jubilar year 2025 before presiding over the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Vatican Media, HO)

In this image released by Vatican Media, Pope Francis opens the holy door marking the start of the Catholic jubilar year 2025 before presiding over the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Vatican Media, HO)

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica to mark the start of the Catholic Jubilee Year, at the Vatican, Dec. 24, 2024. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis arrives at the Rebibbia Prison where he symbolically opens a Holy Door with inmates in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)