Romanian prosecutors send hard-right lawmaker to trial for suspected hate speech

Romanian prosecutors on Thursday sent one of ​the country's most prominent hard-right politicians, AUR ​vice-president and lawmaker Dan Tanasa, ‌to trial on ​charges of inciting hate speech and discrimination against foreign workers. Tanasa is a senior figure in the opposition hard-right Alliance for ‌Uniting Romanians (AUR), Romania's second-largest party, which currently leads opinion polls.

Prosecutors said Tanasa urged followers in an August 2025 social media post to refuse deliveries made by foreign workers. "Refuse the order if it ‌is not delivered by a Romanian," Tanasa wrote. "Do not encourage the import of unqualified labourers ‌from Asia and Africa."

He also said he did not want Romania to follow the same path as other Western nations which he said were "drowning under the Islamic wave". Prosecutors said the statements incited discrimination and could damage ⁠relations between ​citizens by undermining ⁠mutual respect. Romanian lawmakers have parliamentary immunity for political views which prosecutors said did not extend to the current case.

Days ⁠after the post, a South Asian delivery worker was assaulted in the capital Bucharest and required medical treatment. ​Tanasa rejected accusations that his comments had encouraged the attack. A second delivery worker ⁠was attacked near Bucharest several months later. Like other countries in central and eastern Europe, European Union member Romania relies ⁠on ​non-EU workers, many from South Asia, to fill labour shortages in sectors including hospitality and construction.

Tanasa was not available for comment. AUR called the prosecution an attack on free ⁠speech. "If simply opposing immigration policy can become a crime then the problem is not Dan Tanasa," ⁠it said in ⁠a statement.

AUR, which has been critical of the European Union, military aid to Ukraine and defence spending plans, is polling at around 40%, ‌making it ‌Romania's most popular political party.