Online conversation with Oana Popescu-Zamfir
Director and founder of GlobalFocus Center in Bucharest, an independent foreign policy and security think-tank
When: Wednesday, 23 April 2025, 9:00-10:00 CEST
Where: online/zoom
Registration is mandatory.
Zoom link will be sent one day before the event.
Registration deadline: 22 April 2025, 21:00
Register now.
Background
On 6 December 2024, presidential election in Romania was annulled by the Constitutional Court, alleging Russian intervention on behalf of the independent and pro-Russian candidate, Călin Georgescu, who took an unexpected lead in the first round. The court decision was taken 48 hours before the second round. Moscow and the current US administration condemned that decision.
A new election will be held on 4 May 2025. Georgescu is not a candidate. His followers could vote for George Simion, leader of the nationalist AUR party, proponent of the unification of Moldova and Romania, and defender of ethnic Romanians, wherever they are. Its core values focus on family and Christianity. Simion’s views on Russia have been oscillating. Should Simion win, would he be acceptable for the international community?
Some analysts think that annulling the elections was not politically wise: numerous voters perceive that their vote has no value. At the same time, courts seem to play a growing role in politics and their decisions are interpreted as politically motivated.
Oana Popescu-Zamfir will explore the Romanian political context and voters’ concerns.
Speaker
Oana Popescu-Zamfir is the director and founder of GlobalFocus Center, an independent foreign policy and security think-tank based in Bucharest. She is a Europe’s Futures fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna and an associate expert at Carnegie Europe. She is an international consultant, media commentator, writer, and lecturer. Previously, she was state secretary for EU Affairs in the Romanian government and a foreign policy adviser to the president of the Romanian senate, program director of the Aspen Institute Romania, and senior editor of the Romanian edition of Foreign Policy magazine.
Format
Short presentation followed by Q&A
Concept and Moderation
Mirjana Tomic fjum/Presseclub Concordia
Target Audience
Journalists, media professionals and researchers
Maximum number of participants: 100