Romanian Constitutional Court rejects presidential candidacy of far-right MEP

Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected far-right MEP Diana Sosoaca presidential candidacy over the weekend, according to sources suggesting judges found her recent statements incompatible with constitutional values, www.euractiv.com reads.   Romania's Constitutional Court rejected far-right MEP Diana Sosoaca presidential candidacy over the weekend, according to sources suggesting judges found her recent statements incompatible with constitutional values.   Sosoaca’s candidacy was rejected by Romania’s Constitutional Court twice, though no official explanation for the decision has yet been released. Elected to the European Parliament in June, Sosoaca is leader of the SOS Romania party and is known for her extremist positions, including opposition to aid to Ukraine, advocacy of closer ties with Russia, and frequent xenophobic and anti-Semitic remarks.   Two people, including former SOS Romania member Analia Bellantoni, challenged Sosoaca's candidacy, accusing her of submitting fraudulent signatures to the Central Electoral Office. On Saturday, the Constitutional Court rejected her candidacy, which she re-submitted on the same day - the last day for submissions. On Sunday evening, it met again and confirmed its decision.   Sosoaca argued that the court had no authority to verify signatures and accused it of violating the Romanian Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. It is the first time that a politician's candidacy has been rejected by the Constitutional Court.   The decision sparked sharp criticism and accusations among politicians. Opposition figures accused the CCR of serving the interests of the PSD (Social Democratic Party – at rule, e.n.)), suggesting that the removal of Sosoaca would benefit another extremist candidate, George Simion, and possibly pave the way for the PSD's Marcel Ciolacu to win the presidential election.   Suspicions were fuelled by a statement by PSD MEP Dan Nica, who told a TV station on Wednesday that Diana Sosoaca would withdraw from the presidential race. Asked how he knew, he replied laconically: "I just read it".   Independent presidential candidate Mircea Geoana condemned the court's decision, warning of its anti-democratic implications. The former NATO deputy secretary-general argued that if political leaders believe they can manipulate the outcome of elections through such interventions, they are "gravely mistaken".   Liberal (PNL) leader Nicolae Ciuca, whose liberals are part of the ruling coalition with the PSD, also criticised. "Romanians understand when someone wants absolute power. The final presidential showdown will be decided by the people, not by behind-the-scenes manoeuvres or manipulating institutions."   USR leader and presidential candidate Elena Lasconi noted that "at first glance, this ban on Sosoaca's candidacy seems like a dream come true for Marcel Ciolacu."   However, Prime Minister Ciolacu called on the CCR to quickly publish its reasoning, which he stressed must be based on "strong legal and constitutional grounds". He added that the Constitutional Court's primary role was to protect the rights of candidates, "not to act as an obstacle to their participation in the elections".   În turn, Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) Chairman Kelemen Hunor said in a press conference in Arad on Sunday, regarding the annulment of Diana Sosoaca's candidacy by Romania's Constitutional Court (CCR), that the electorate should decide and not the state institutions, and that any person who has not been convicted should have the right to run for office.   The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan appreciated on Monday that ‘ it does not seem reasonable at all’ that a person who can run for the European Parliament elections cannot run for the presidential ones, in the context where on Saturday night the Constitutional Court admitted with a majority of votes the appeals formulated by two persons and annulled the Decision of the Central Electoral Bureau regarding the candidacy and the electoral sign of Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca in the elections for the President of Romania.