Free Republic

The controversial move to ban National Rally leader Marine Le Pen from standing in the French presidential election has been accused of demonstrating double standards, with reports claiming that over a hundred other European politicians violated the same rules without facing prosecution. A Paris court enacted a five-year ban from running in any election against populist firebrand Marine Le Pen after finding her, and other members of her National Rally party ... one in five members at the time, had been found to have broken the same rules, the Times of London noted on Tuesday. ... BBC journalist Michael Crick...

The EU Parliament has lifted the immunity of AfD foreign policy spokesman Petr Bystron because he shared a photo of Angela Merkel on Twitter in 2022. The reason? Bizarre: since Merkel is seen raising her arm in the image, it’s being interpreted as a Nazi salute – but only because Bystron posted it. Prosecutor: Waving is not a Nazi salute This farce has a backstory: In 2022, during a protest against COVID-19 measures, Bystron waved to the crowd. The public prosecutor immediately launched an investigation: “Nazi salute!” In response, hundreds of AfD supporters filed complaints against Angela Merkel, who had...

Estonian lawmakers voted Wednesday to ban non-EU residents from voting in local elections, a move aimed at the large number of Russian citizens living in the Baltic state as it warily eyes Moscow. The amendment was proposed in response to security concerns over Russia's war in Ukraine. Estonia has been a steadfast supporter of Kyiv since the invasion in February 2022. In the vote on Wednesday, 93 lawmakers in the 101-seat chamber backed a constitutional amendment to impose the restrictions, a result that was met with applause from MPs. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal hailed the outcome as "a victory...

BREAKING: Romania has BANNED Calin Georgescu from running for President. He won the first round of elections before they overturned it. Now he is leading the polls again. So now they simply banned him from running. This is happening in an EU country by the way.

Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau on Sunday blocked Russia-aligned, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu from running in May’s presidential election. The bureau said it would post the reasons for its decision later, brushing off objections from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that the firebrand NATO skeptic should be permitted to stand. The Digi24 news service said the electoral bureau had voted against allowing Georgescu, the frontrunner, to proceed by a margin of 10 to 4. An appeal can run until Wednesday. Georgescu came out of nowhere to win the first round of the presidential vote last November, partly on the...

According to the Agerpress news agency, clashes between Calin Georgescu’s supporters and the police erupted near the building of the Central Electoral Bureau immediately after its decision was made publicBUCHAREST, March 9. /TASS/. Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau has refused to approve Calin Georgescu as candidate for Romanian president in the May 4 election, leader of the opposition Alliance for the Union of Romanians George Simion said on his Facebook page (Facebook is banned in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as extremist). According to the local mass media, ten out of 14 members of the...

Romania’s central election authority on Sunday barred far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from running in May’s presidential election re-run. The rejection of his candidacy, which was condemned by far-right party leaders as undemocratic, can be challenged at the constitutional court. Members of US President Donald Trump’s administration called Romania’s canceled election an example of European governments suppressing freedom of speech and political opponents. Tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk called the election authority’s decision “crazy” on his social media platform X.