Top Romanian Court Bans Pro-Russian Candidate From Presidential Race

Romania's Constitutional Court has banned a pro-Russian, anti-EU, far-right candidate from running in the presidential election next month, ruling 5-2 that Diana Iovanovici Sosoaca's public statements and conduct "systematically" violate the country's constitutional foundation -- its membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. Iovanovici Sosoaca, who shot to notoriety with her virulent anti-vaccine stance during the COVID-19 pandemic and won a seat in the European Parliament earlier this year, has been a vocal proponent of closer relations with Moscow, meeting with Russia's ambassador to Bucharest and making anti-Semitic and anti-Western statements. In her first speech in Brussels, she accused the EU of "killing" Romanians with anti-COVID vaccines, waving black trash bags that she said symbolized "body bags" destined for Romania. The ruling against Iovanovici Sosoaca has been criticized, however, with critics saying the decision by the court, which is split along party lines, was politically motivated and meant to smooth the way for the ruling Social Democratic Party's presidential candidate, current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Romanian Service, click here.