Kremlin Questions Validity of Romanian Presidential Election as Pro-EU Centrist Triumphs Over Far-Right Contender

On Monday, the Kremlin expressed skepticism regarding the outcome of Romania’s presidential election, in which a centrist pro-European candidate triumphed over a far-right opponent who openly admired Trump.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the elections as “strange, to say the least,” when responding to inquiries about the results.

In a closely watched runoff on Sunday, Bucharest’s mayor, Nicușor Dan, emerged victorious against nationalist candidate George Simion in a contest deemed significant for the EU and NATO member nation neighboring the conflict-ridden Ukraine.

On the same day, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, accused Nicolas Lerner, the head of French intelligence, of exerting pressure on him to prohibit conservative Romanian accounts prior to the election. Romania’s government linked this allegation to a widespread disinformation campaign believed to have Russian connections.

In response, France’s foreign intelligence agency robustly denied Durov’s assertions.

Former leading far-right candidate Călin Georgescu was barred from participating in Sunday’s election after Romania’s Constitutional Court invalidated last December’s election results. Authorities suspect Georgescu of having links to Russia, an allegation he and the Kremlin have both denied.

Peskov remarked, “We are aware of the candidate who stood the best chance and was simply taken out of the race without any explanation from the Romanian authorities,” referring to Dan’s success occurring “without the favorite in play.”

Reporting by AFP contributed to this story.