Călin Georgescu, who is likely to emerge as the surprise winner of the first round in Romania’s presidential elections, is an environmental expert and politician with strong nationalistic views.

Born on March 26, 1962, in Bucharest, he graduated from the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, specializing in land reclamation and environmental engineering. He furthered his education with a master's degree in land reclamation and a doctorate in pedology.

Throughout his career, Georgescu served as the Executive Director of the National Centre for Sustainable Development in Romania from 2000 to 2013. In this role, he coordinated the development of two versions of Romania's National Sustainable Development Strategy, aligning with European guidelines.

Internationally, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the United Nations Global Sustainable Index Institute in Geneva and Vaduz for the period 2015–2016. Additionally, he served as President of the European Research Centre for the Club of Rome from 2013 to 2015.

Georgescu's political views emphasize sustainable development, national sovereignty, and the preservation of Romanian cultural values. He advocates for the responsible use of the country's natural resources to achieve economic growth while maintaining environmental integrity.

In 2020, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) proposed him for the position of Prime Minister, highlighting his expertise in sustainable development.

However, Georgescu has been involved in controversies due to certain statements. In interviews, he referred to historical figures Ion Antonescu (Romania’s prime minister during World War II who led the country into an alliance with Hitler) and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (founder of the far-right Legionary Party) as "heroes of the Romanian nation," a stance that attracted significant criticism. These remarks led to the General Prosecutor's Office opening a criminal case against him for promoting the cult of persons guilty of genocide and war crimes.

Despite these controversies, Georgescu continues to be an active figure in Romanian politics. In his campaign as an independent candidate in the presidential elections, he focused on themes of national development and sovereignty. His political agenda includes reducing Romania’s dependence on imports, supporting local farmers, increasing the domestic production of food and energy and tax incentives for Romanian producers.

He carried out his campaign mostly through social media channels such as Facebook and TikTok and was almost absent from mainstream media.

In November 2024, the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) mandated that Georgescu remove all online promotional materials due to non-compliance with electoral regulations. Georgescu responded by emphasizing his commitment to a campaign without financial backing, viewing the BEC's decision as an attempt to intimidate him and his supporters.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Calin Georgescu's Facebook page)