Former Romanian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was picked up by police while in traffic on the morning of February 26 and taken for questioning to the Prosecutor General's Office (PICCJ).

Georgescu unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential elections in November 2024, following intense online activity allegedly instigated by Russian entities. He plans to run in the rescheduled elections in May. 

The allegations against Georgescu relate to the financing of his presidential campaign, the PICCJ said. It also listed the politician's collaboration with (support from) illegal organisations that have been tolerated and flourished over the 35 years since the fall of communism.

The actions listed by the PIICJ could result in prison sentences from 10 to 20 years if Georgescu is found guilty. They could also lead to Georgescu being banned from running in the May presidential elections.

The long list of allegations mentioned by the PICCJ includes incitement to actions against the constitutional order; communication of false information; repeated false statements (regarding sources of financing of the electoral campaign and declarations of assets); initiating or establishing an organisation with a fascist, racist or xenophobic character, joining or supporting, in any form, such a group; promoting, in public, the cult of persons guilty of committing crimes of genocide against humanity and war crimes, as well as the act of promoting, in public, fascist, legionary, racist or xenophobic ideas, conceptions or doctrines;  initiating or establishing an organisation with an anti-Semitic character, joining or supporting, in any form, such an organisation.

Besides conspiracist rhetoric, Georgescu has repeatedly praised the Iron Guard — a religious fascist movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel Michael — and Ion Antonescu, who was responsible for facilitating the Holocaust in Romania. 

After his detention, Georgescu’s supporters organised a rally in front of the PICCJ, and media actively supporting him turned the events into another episode of the candidate’s electoral campaign.

Both Georgescu’s wife Cristela Georgescu, reportedly a potential candidate in case Georgescu's candidacy is invalidated, and US billionaire Elon Musk, who has previously expressed support for Georgescu, protested what they called the “abuse” of the Romanian authorities.

"They just arrested the person who won the most votes in the Romanian presidential election. This is wrong," Elon Musk wrote on his X network.