Călin Georgescu’s dramatic rise in support in the first round of Romania’s presidential election in November 2024 made headlines across the world. Mihaela Mihai and Camil Ungureanu write that Georgescu’s popularity rests on his ability to project three distinct types of authority.
In November, Călin Georgescu emerged from obscurity to win the first round of (the now cancelled) Romanian presidential elections. Multiple analyses have since tried to explain his sudden success. His connections to the Romanian state, to the parties that have dominated the Romanian political scene since 1989, and to neo-fascist movements have captured much of the attention.
Analyses of his ideological roots (interwar fascism, mystical Orthodoxy and the national communism of the 20th century) as well as the massive support he enjoyed on social media have also contributed to building a complex image of this skilled political entrepreneur. According to a recent poll, he remains in pole position ahead of the reorganised elections in May, though it is unclear whether he will be allowed to run again.
Georgescu’s avatars
Georgescu’s success, however, is not only about his connections and his ideological inspiration but also reflects his populist style. Max Weber famously identified three types of authority: traditional authority, rational-legal authority and charismatic authority. Georgescu effectively portrays himself using three “avatars” that correspond to each of these types and that, together, project a complex vision of authority.
Georgescu’s traditional authority rests on his image as a “Christian prophet”. He frequently cites his Orthodox-Christian faith alongside New Age ideas, while also emphasising moral “verticality”. He blends this with appeals to rational-legal authority by invoking his scientific credentials and his international career as a bureaucrat to portray himself as an “environmental expert”. In doing so, he emphasises his commitment to legality, which he sees as being undermined by corrupt elites. Finally, he exerts charismatic authority by portraying himself as a “unifying hero”, creating a patriarchal image of a wise, virtuous and patriotic Christian, whose historical mission it is to lead the masses to a brighter future.
While the first two avatars speak to the disappointment and fear of his audience, the last cultivates hope through a vision of national salvation that requires the leadership of men of great valour who are “born not made”. Georgescu’s style is also notable for the calm way in which he delivers his message. The slow rhythm of his speech stands in stark contrast to other far-right populists. His calmness is meant to signal a deep understanding of reality and a sophisticated vision of the future, but also the internal peace of a man uncontaminated by the sins of the times.
The Christian prophet
For Georgescu, Romania is experiencing a period of historical decline that stems from the country deviating from the right path of Christian Orthodoxy. He makes heavy use of aphorisms when making this case, which are introduced as evidence of his wisdom. Aphorisms serve as conversation-stoppers, rendering any democratic debate unnecessary. He also presents people with a clear binary choice: either ever deeper decadence and succumbing further to the evil forces of global capital and neo-Marxism, or national redemption through Christian faith and the affirmation of national identity and sovereignty.
Georgescu often uses words that are rarely found in current speech, many of them archaic and associated with old nationalist discourses. This vocabulary and his pedagogical style – complete with pauses for emphasis and the raising of an index finger – again invokes a mature, firm authority based on exceptional wisdom that allows for no challenge or discussion.
Georgescu’s Christian discourse is combined with New Age, anti-medicine tropes, intended to affirm the perfection of divine creation. Images of him swimming in half-frozen lakes, riding a white horse in a traditional shirt, or engaged in judo combat have been widely circulated since December 2024, often juxtaposed with similar images featuring Vladimir Putin, leading to public derision. Beyond the embarrassing similarities, Georgescu deploys these images to present himself as a consistent practitioner of what he preaches: as a vigorous, strong man who lives a healthy life, takes care of his body, and whose harmonious physique reflects inner harmony.
The environmental expert
Georgescu presents himself as a specialist with a PhD in soil science. He frequently discusses catastrophic ecological scenarios, which are otherwise well-founded in scientific data about global warming. He plays the role of a scientific statesman, sharing with the public conclusions he has drawn on the basis of his career in international forums such as the Club of Rome and the UN.
This approach has two distinct elements. On the one hand, Georgescu claims authority and status through his affiliation with these institutions and his advanced degree. He carries himself as an expert in the field of sustainable development, educating the people about how these institutions work to address the climate, food and water crises. However, on the other, Georgescu insinuates the presence of “evil forces” that control these institutions and seek to dominate the world, diverting the Romanian people from their eternal destiny.
The unifying hero
Finally, Georgescu frames himself as the saviour of the nation and a punisher of corrupt elites. He often condemns – using virulent language, but in a calm, self-assured tone – the cowardice, fear, self-censorship and complacency of citizens who have “enslaved themselves” by accepting foreign ideologies and practices imposed on them by what he refers to as the “international neo-Marxist cabal” and its local allies.
The sense of a fall from grace is transposed politically, invoking a glorious past – albeit one that is difficult to identify in the history of Romania – that has been replaced by a sick, corrupt and unacceptable present. Georgescu is often exasperated by the state of the nation, which he signals with sighs and condemning gestures.
However, he accepts his historical mission as a man of incomparable wisdom: his goal, as he sees it, is to educate and bring the people back onto the right path, with patience and dedication. Georgescu thus smiles paternally and addresses with gentleness the many who have fallen prey to false gods, explaining to them how things really are, despite all appearances, despite logic and despite reason.
Although Georgescu’s three avatars are largely incompatible with one another, the three types of authority he projects have helped him attract different types of voter. His style paradoxically invites people to distance themselves from the sordid circus of other far-right leaders, while simultaneously maintaining – if not amplifying – their most dangerous ideas. The challenge for his opponents will be to pierce the veneer of propriety that serves to legitimise his anti-democratic political project.
Note: This article gives the views of the author, not the position of EUROPP – European Politics and Policy or the London School of Economics. Featured image credit: LCV / Shutterstock.com
