Petrișor Peiu defends AUR against accusations of extremism over EU criticism

Following multiple accusations by Siegfried Mureșan that the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) is an extremist, anti-European force, senator Petrișor Peiu published a Facebook analysis defending the party’s stance. Peiu clarified that AUR does not aim to withdraw Romania from the EU, but insists that member states must adhere to EU treaties. He charged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with reckless spending of EU money, pointing to the non-competitive procurement of hundreds of millions of vaccine doses and the Commission’s growing sway over national decisions.

Peiu highlighted that Mureșan serves as vice-president of the European People’s Party, which backs von der Leyen, underscoring a political rivalry rather than ideological extremism. The senator argued that questioning the Commission’s actions is a legitimate democratic practice, not a sign of extremism. He urged a clear distinction between criticizing a government and opposing the EU as an institution.