Crin Antonescu challenged George Simion to participate in the debate on Antena 3, accusing him of avoiding previous confrontations

Crin Antonescu, the candidate backed by PSD, PNL and UDMR, challenged George Simion, leader of AUR, to participate in Wednesday night's debate, criticizing him for his previous absences. Antonescu emphasized the importance of discussing Romania's security and solutions to social problems, accusing Simion of lacking courage. Simion justified his absence by saying that he would not participate in debates considered unjustified, choosing instead to stand by Romanians. At Wednesday's debate, four candidates announced they would not participate.