France-Soir
Elections in Romania: Critical Electoral Irregularities, Dead People Would Vote. Press Conference by George Simion
At a press conference held on May 4th 2025, at 1 p.m. in front of the Romanian Senate, George Simion, a major political figure in Romania, addressed the crucial issues surrounding the early elections in his country. This meeting with the international media aimed to shed light on the challenges and controversies surrounding the electoral process. "We are here to answer all your questions" he said, emphasizing transparency and open communication.
app.videas.frWorrying electoral irregularities
Georgiana Teodorescu, Member of the European Parliament for the AUR, and Nicolae Vlahu, Senator for the AUR, denounced in a press release major irregularities in the electoral process underway in Romania. They point to the presence of dead people on the electoral rolls, a problem seen in several regions, including Bucharest, Prahova, Constanța and other counties. Video evidence was shared, and complaints were filed, including for falsification of official documents in Constanța, where electoral lists included handwritten mentions of "deceased" next to names whose personal numerical codes (LWOP) remained valid, suggesting a risk of fraudulent votes. The charges call into question the authorities' claims that the allegations were disinformation and underline a lack of transparency in the management of the electoral rolls.
In addition, Teodorescu and Vlahu highlight recurrent fraudulent electoral practices, such as the misuse of mobile ballot boxes, with a significant increase in applications compared to previous elections (e.g., from 102 to 1,400 applications in Argeș County). Other irregularities include pressuring polling station members to sign blank reports, intimidation, stealing ballots (as in Rojiște, Dolj), and procedural violations at several polling stations. Specific incidents, such as the request to cover surveillance cameras in an OLT office or illegal campaign activities in Berlin, are also reported. The AUR representatives call on the authorities to respect the will of the voters and urge the Permanent Electoral Authority to clarify the presence of deceased persons on the lists and their potential impact on the election results.
At the press conference, Simion expressed concerns about the integrity of the elections, citing problems with the voter rolls. According to him, "There are 18 million registered voters, while we are only 19 million Romanians." This anomaly, attributed to the presence of many deceased people on the lists, poses a serious problem of credibility. "This is a huge problem for us because we are aiming for a majority in these elections" he said.
The political leader also pointed to the government's inaction in the face of these dysfunctions, accusing the Electoral Authority of acting "as if nothing had happened". He insisted on the need to remove deceased people from the lists to ensure fair and transparent elections.
While investigating, France-Soir had been alerted to this potential risk, especially Romanians in the diaspora - there are more than a million Romanians in Italy and nearly 700,000 in Germany, so questions arise about these votes of deceased people, where do they come from? To date, "no answer has been given by the authorities," replies Silvia Uscov, the lawyer for the AUR, the party chaired by Simion.
A tense political context
The press conference also revealed the tensions between Simion and his political opponents. He criticised the government led by Mr Ciolacu, accusing it of having cancelled the previous elections because it had failed to achieve the expected results. "Romanians did not vote as the government wanted in December," he recalled, pointing to a latent political crisis.
In response to the accusations of fraud, Simion's team, supported by lawyer Sylvia Uscov, referred the matter to the Electoral Office to investigate the alleged irregularities. Uscov said: "Reports of fraud, campaign violations, and widespread dissemination of misinformation have been forwarded to the prosecutor's office for urgent action".
A vision for Romania's future
Despite the tense climate, Simion was determined to defend Romanian sovereignty and democracy. He expressed his commitment to international alliances, including with the European Union and NATO, saying, "We will honor all our commitments in our international alliances".
Simion also shared his vision for a united Europe, while criticising the perceived interference of some European institutions in Romania's internal affairs. "We want a European Union made up of independent and sovereign nations," he explained, advocating a profound reform of the current European structures.
Von der Leyen and Kovesi in the line of fire
During the press conference given by George Simion, Xavier Azalbert, a journalist from France-Soir covering the event, asked a question about the integrity of the European Union, particularly in relation to the alleged interference of certain influential figures. Xavier Azalbert mentioned Laura Kövesi, who is the subject of a criminal complaint in Belgium for interference in European affairs, and wondered what measures Simion was considering to restore this integrity within the European project.
Simion responded by clarifying his vision of a united Europe, which differs from that of leaders like Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron. He stressed that the EU should be made up of independent and sovereign nations, and expressed the wish to "replace the current president of the European Commission". Regarding Laura Kövesi, he criticised her lack of respect for the laws, both in Romania and at European level, and said that there was a need to appoint other officials for the European institutions. Simion thus highlighted his commitment to a Europe of nations, while criticising current federalist tendencies.
George Simion's press conference highlighted the complex challenges Romania faces in the run-up to the early elections. Between accusations of electoral fraud and the desire to preserve democracy, the country is at a critical crossroads.
Simion concluded by reaffirming his commitment to free and fair elections, while calling for international vigilance. "Our only wish for this electoral process is to organise free and fair elections", he insisted, giving a glimpse of hope for a democratic future in Romania.