Recent events in Romania have captured global attention and thrown the country into a state of political turmoil. On Sunday, the government barred a popular candidate, Calin Georgescu, from running in the country’s upcoming May presidential election. This action was preceded by Georgescu, an independent right-wing candidate who is skeptical of NATO, the EU, and support for Ukraine, winning the first round of the presidential election. The Romanian Constitutional Court abruptly annulled the results, cancelling the scheduled second round. The authorities then briefly arrested Georgescu when he sought to file his candidacy for president once again.
These actions against Georgescu were undertaken following U.S.-backed allegations of Russian interference in the election despite the fact that the then-president of Romania, who has since resigned in the fallout from this scandal, admitted that these allegations were “nearly impossible” to prove.
The Trump administration has taken notice. In a blunt speech at the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance chided Eurocrats for their glee over Romania’s canceled election. Likewise, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard cited Romania’s canceled election as just one example of our European allies acting in an undemocratic manner.
While highlighting hypocrisy is a useful political tool, American leaders should be more ambitious and view the situation in Romania as an opportunity to reset the U.S. relationship with Europe. Romania could prove the perfect proving ground for the new normal.
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