Once seen as the dominant presidential candidate in Romania, given his independent position, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana is no longer among those who could plausibly make it to the second round, after his disappointing capacity to respond to multiple scandals of various magnitudes that surrounded him recently. 

His alleged collaboration with controversial social media expert Tal Hanan, the electoral speech of his daughter (imitating Donald Trump’s niece), and the financing sources of his campaign are only the latest attacks that Mircea Geoana had to address in recent days. Former president Traian Basescu, who defeated Geoana in 2009, outlined the multiple weak points that Mircea Geoana has still not addressed and that make him vulnerable to future scandals.

In one of the most relevant scandals, Mircea Geoana is accused by his rivals in the presidential race – initially reformist candidate Elena Lasconi (USR) and later Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu – of having cooperated with Israeli social media information expert Tal Hanan. 

Lasconi claimed Geoana met Tal Hanan and implied more substantial cooperation. The Israeli expert confirmed he visited Romania but refused to “talk about his customers” – a statement speculated by some as a confirmation of Lasconi’s accusations.

It is not the substance or credibility of the allegations but the way Geoana addressed the accusations that place him in the second batch of candidates beside reformist leader Elena Lasconi (mayor of Campulung Muscel and former TV anchor) and more redoubtable nationalist politician (former football gang leader and activist for Moldova’s unification allegedly in contact with Russian intelligence services) George Simion.

Some polls still place Mircea Geoana among the potential candidates possibly making it to the second round, or among the “best prepared” candidates – but he remains engaged in electoral competition with Lasconi rather than leading candidates Marcel Ciolacu and Nicolae Ciuca – less “prepared” for the presidential seat, according to the polls, but backed by robust parties and more natural in their (however unsophisticated) rhetoric.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Mircea Geoana)