BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) 鈥 Controversial Romanian politician Diana Sosoaca, who was barred by a top court from entering last year鈥檚 annulled presidential election, filed her candidacy on Thursday in an unlikely bid to enter the May rerun.
The 49-year-old former lawyer and Member of the European Parliament of the far-right nationalist S.O.S. Romania party filed her candidacy at the Central Election Bureau in the capital, Bucharest. The bureau has 48 hours to register or reject. Rejections can be appealed within 24 hours.
The Constitutional Court, or CCR, barred the pro-Russia politician from entering last year鈥檚 race, arguing that her public discourse, including opposition to 鈥檚 European Union and NATO memberships, made her unfit to uphold the constitutional obligations of the presidency.
鈥淎fter analyzing the whole situation with our lawyers, they are no longer allowed to ban me because you cannot ban the same candidate twice for the same reasons,鈥 Sosoaca, wearing a pair of white boxing gloves, told a news conference Thursday.
However, Cristi Danilet, a former Romanian judge, expects Sosoaca鈥檚 second bid to be rejected. The CCR鈥檚 previous ruling 鈥渋s already a judicial precedent. Therefore, a new candidacy of hers must be rejected,鈥 he told The Associated Press.
The court鈥檚 decision last year drew strong criticism from some civil rights groups and politicians, who denounced it as undermining democracy or politically motivated.
The first round of the rerun is scheduled for May 4. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the ballots, a runoff will follow on May 18. The deadline for presidential candidacy applications is March 15 at midnight.
Romania鈥檚 president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments.
Musk and Vance criticize ban
Sosoaca鈥檚 candidacy marks the latest twist in a turbulent presidential election following the two days before a Dec. 8 runoff. The court made that decision after allegations emerged of electoral violations and claims that Russia had run a , who ran as an independent. Moscow has denied meddling in the election.
It also comes two days after the same court by the far-right Georgescu, who sought to overturn a ban on his candidacy to participate in the rerun after the Central Election Bureau refused to register him on Sunday.
Romania鈥檚 decision to annul the election, and this week鈥檚 ban on Georgescu鈥檚 candidacy, has been strongly criticized by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk and Moscow.
鈥楨very possible chance鈥
Romania鈥檚 far-right, which holds about a third of seats in the country's legislature, is now scrambling to replace Georgescu鈥檚 candidacy.
After a meeting with Georgescu, George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, and Anamaria Gavrila, the leader of the right-wing populist Party of Young People, both stated on Wednesday that they intend to file their presidential bids in the coming days.
鈥淲e have to (collect) until Friday 200,000 signatures, but things are moving like never before, incredible mobilization. People are waiting in queues to sign,鈥 Simion, who came fourth in last year鈥檚 first-round vote with 13.8% of the ballots, told the AP on Thursday.
Simion, who is currently under criminal investigation for inciting violence during , says he鈥檚 concerned his bid could be blocked. 鈥淭he real battle is that they don鈥檛 ban me like they did with Georgescu and Sosoaca,鈥 he added. He has denied any wrongdoing and claimed it is politically motivated.
Gavrila said on Wednesday that if both of their candidacies are validated, one of them will step down from running. 鈥淲e must give this sovereigntist movement every possible chance,鈥 she said.
鈥楾urning point鈥 for Romania
Elena Lasconi, leader of the Save Romania Union party, who was set to face Georgescu in the scheduled runoff last year, also filed her candidacy on Thursday. She has described the current political crisis as 鈥渁 turning point鈥 for Romania.
Victor Ponta, a former prime minister between 2012-2015 and former leader of Romania鈥檚 leftist Social Democratic Party, filed his bid on Wednesday on a 鈥淩omania First鈥 ticket.
鈥淚 feel the need for a radical change ... a new beginning is needed,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t's a system that failed during past years and was against the people.鈥
Two confirmed candidates include incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, who is running as an independent under the campaign slogan 鈥淗onest Romania,鈥 and Crin Antonescu, the joint presidential candidate backed by Romania鈥檚 governing coalition.
Several others are expected to file bids. Factoring in potential candidacy rejections and subsequent appeals, the final list of confirmed candidates will be known on March 19.
