Thousands of people gathered in central Bucharest for a nationalist rally organised in opposition to the so-called Vexler Law, legislation intended to strengthen Romania’s legal framework against extremism, antisemitism and xenophobia.
The rally was first promoted by Claudiu Târziu, co-founder and former leader of the nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who has since left the party to form a new political movement.
Târziu and his supporters framed the mobilisation as a protest against the Vexler Law, formally titled the Law on Combating Antisemitism and Xenophobia, according to Romanian media reports.
AUR and its current leader, George Simion, also mobilised supporters for the event, though their messaging went beyond opposition to the draft law and focused on a broader anti-establishment narrative targeting the government, parliament and the political class.
During the protest, a separate group of supporters of Călin Georgescu, a former presidential candidate currently under indictment on charges of treason, joined the gathering.
Antisemitic messages voiced by some protesters were tolerated or echoed by others, contributing to an atmosphere marked by extremist undertones.
Similar themes had already emerged during parliamentary debates on the Vexler Law, which were accompanied by heated rhetoric and personal attacks directed at the law’s author, Silviu Vexler, a member of the Jewish community in the Chamber of Deputies.
The bill amends existing legislation on extremist organisations and symbols, expanding legal definitions and increasing penalties related to antisemitism and xenophobia.
During the rally in University Square, banners and chants extended well beyond criticism of the draft law, targeting state institutions, the European Union and what protesters described as foreign influence in Romanian politics.
Several messages drew on historical references and conspiracy narratives commonly associated with far-right movements, reinforcing concerns about the normalisation of extremist discourse in the public sphere.
