A former soil scientist, who rose to prominence on TikTok, looks set to be elected Romania’s president this weekend.
Populist candidate Calin Georgescu – who doesn’t believe in COVID or man-made climate change, and wants to pursue peace in Ukraine – tells Sky News accusations his sudden rise to success had been orchestrated by Russia are not true.
His critics allege links with Vladimir Putin – but he tells me “no, nothing zero”, and says the Russian leader “is a patriot and a leader but I am not a fan of Mr Putin”.
He says he is happy for Romania to be a member of both the European Union and NATO, but says he would not support Romania going to war. “We are all for peace,” he says.
Before politics, the 62-year-old – who holds a doctorate in pedology, a branch of soil science – worked in Romania’s environment ministry and represented his country at the UN Environment Programme.
He later joined the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) party before leaving in 2022 following infighting and accusations of being pro-Russian and critical of NATO.
Calin Georgescu won the first round of Romania’s presidential election. Pic: AP
Georgescu, who is not allied to any political party, rose from near-obscurity to win the first round of Romania‘s presidential election, fuelled by a combination of populist, anti-establishment rhetoric and a hugely successful social media campaign, notably on TikTok.
He is now the favourite to win the final run-off on Sunday, when Georgescu will be pitched against Elena Lasconi, from the centre-right Save Romania Union party.
He says he is “very confident” of securing victory and restoring the nation as a “sovereign country”.
Elena Lasconi will compete with Georgescu in a run-off on 8 December. Pic: Reuters
Romanian authorities have claimed that Russia launched a “hybrid attack” on the country to bolster Georgescu’s chances, amplifying his campaign slogans across social media.
When I ask him about the calls for an investigation into his campaign, Georgescu laughs. “I can tell you one sentence. The last Soros Fortress has fallen,” he says. “This has made them desperate.”
Conspiracy theories about George Soros – widely regarded as an antisemitic trope – have become a familiar theme of the populist right, with the philanthropist billionaire portrayed as a “puppet master” controlling international politics.
Georgescu says his opponents “cannot accept” their tactics are not working.
“But whatever they are doing, the Romanian people are first,” he said. “They met just to try to get rid of one candidate – me. That’s not democracy.
“Finally the people’s vote has really happened. All the time, the propaganda said that ‘we don’t care about your votes’. Now that has changed. I’m independent. My party is the Romanian people.”
He also denied allegations that he lied about his campaign spending, insisting he has spent nothing. Romania’s secret police allege he spent around a million euros.
Georgescu, who once expressed his admiration for Romanian leaders in the Second World War that collaborated with Nazis, told me he was “not an antisemite”.
He said he considered Israel to be “a fantastic country”.
Georgescu accuses billionaire George Soros of trying to stop him from taking power. File pic: AP
He is also an admirer of Donald Trump and said he would follow the lead of the incoming American president on subjects such as peace talks in Ukraine. He shares his scepticism over climate change, insisting that while the climate is changing, that is not due to the actions of humanity.
I ask about gay rights. He says he would pursue new laws against LGBT+ “propaganda”.
“In your house, everyone can do what they want. The only thing I cannot accept is the propaganda in the school. Whatever you want, do it – it’s not my business but you cannot insist that somebody be like you. Nobody can insist that you do certain things.”
Similar laws, outlawing so-called LGBT+ propaganda, have been passed in Russia and Hungary.
Georgescu is also deeply sceptical of COVID – not just the lockdowns, but the simple existence of the virus itself.
“I don’t believe in it,” he says, with utmost confidence. “Did you see it?” I tell him that I’ve had COVID, but he shakes his head. “No but did you see it – did you see the virus?”
“No,” I say, slightly bewildered. “It’s a microscopic virus. Of course, I can’t see it.”
Georgescu smiles at me. “Nobody has seen it. I’m confident in the immunity of what God made for us. But it’s the same as I said about LGBT. I’m not against people having the vaccination. Each person has to do exactly as they want but my point is – don’t make oppression. Don’t make it obligatory for someone to do something.”
Georgescu denies Russia has been amplifying his campaign on social media. Pic: AP
And Georgescu tells me he wants closer ties with Britain, a country where he has lived and which he says is close to his heart.
When I ask him about his plan for relations with the United Kingdom, he beams. “Oh, it will be fantastic. The UK is a trading country and Romania is a commodity country. We will find fantastic co-operation. We shall have a very strong offer for the UK.”
Georgescu says he knows the UK well, having lived in Bristol studying sustainable development.
“I like British style very much. I like the art, the music, the financial system, the Royal Family. It will be a win-win process for both countries.”
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Victory, he says, would allow him to unite the country.
But as his political opponents unite simply to try to stop him, Georgescu is actually his country’s most divisive figure for decades.
For some, he is a dangerous populist with echoes of Putin; for others, he is a break from the establishment.
For everyone, he brings the prospect of upheaval.