Traian Băsescu calls for audit of AUR finances and forecasts electoral decline

Financial scrutiny and campaign funds

Former Romanian president Traian Băsescu called for accounting inspections into the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and its leader George Simion during a broadcast on B1 TV on Wednesday evening. Băsescu pointed to the flow of private and public money into the party, examining how campaign and personal funds are gathered. He referenced Simion's declared wedding gift of 400,000 euros following his marriage to Ilinca, who is 24 years old and lists no personal income on asset disclosures. The former head of state also described party fundraising events as outdoor gatherings where supporters contribute cash directly. He stated that official scrutiny into the party's accounting books would expose irregularities, citing reports that state subsidy funds were distributed to select television stations.

Ar trebui să începem să ne uităm mai atent la baia de bani în care se scaldă Simion, baia de petreceri de-astea, câmpeneşti, în care poporul dă bani copilului, poporul dă bani la nuntă, poporul face de toate. Mă tem că s-ar putea să fie multe probleme când se va intra în contabilitatea partidului AUR, mai ales că aflăm că dăruieşte cu multă generozitate unele televiziuni cu toţi banii de la buget.

Electoral ceiling and snap vote projections

Despite recent polling placing AUR at the front of Romanian parliamentary voting intentions, Băsescu asserted that the party has exhausted its growth potential. In a survey conducted by Avangarde and published on Friday, AUR ranked first with 36% among decided voters, followed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) at 23%, the National Liberal Party (PNL) at 16%, and Save Romania Union (USR) at 8%. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) registered 5%, while SOS România obtained 3%. In the event of snap elections, Băsescu estimated that AUR would fail to expand its support base and could fall below previous expectations.

Eu cred că AUR va obţine un scor undeva între 30 şi 35% şi nu exclud posibilitatea să fie chiar sub 30%.

Impact of Călin Georgescu detention

The former president linked the turning point in AUR's political momentum directly to law enforcement actions involving former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu. Prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) recently detained Georgescu, an action Băsescu described as the culmination of the nationalist movement's public reach. He stated that this detention is the point where the decline of AUR begins rather than a catalyst for further expansion. In his assessment, legal measures against Georgescu will cause public support to contract as voters evaluate the party under closer scrutiny.

Macroeconomic pressure on governing parties

Băsescu addressed the broader political landscape, arguing that traditional pro-European parties must govern under rigid fiscal constraints dictated by international economic obligations. He noted that existing parliamentary parties face risks of losing credibility, but they maintain an opportunity to recover support through governance and macroeconomic stabilization. International partners will not permit Romanian authorities to abandon fiscal discipline, requiring any governing coalition to balance the budget regardless of political popularity. Because of these external conditions, Băsescu concluded that an extension of the current parliamentary mandate by two years would not benefit AUR or accelerate its polling numbers.