Two federations who defend the rights of people with autism accuses George Simion of discrimination and instigation of hatred: “An intentional act of denigration to 1 million Romanians with disabilities”

“You have a candidate that you support, it's autistic, poor!” -It is the statement made by George Simion, gold leader and candidate for the presidency, in a dialogue with a Pro TV journalist, in Brussels. As a result of this skid, two federations that defend the rights of people with autism accuses him of discrimination, instigation of hatred and violation of the dignity of people with disabilities. Organizations announce official actions at CNCD and ECHR.

The RO TSA Federation (the network of organizations in autistic spectrum) and FONSS (Federation of non-governmental organizations for social services) publicly condemns the statements made by George Simion on May 14, in Brussels, where the gold leader stated, referring to a possible candidate: “You have a candidate that you support,”

The two federations claim that they have previously warned the golden leader, in an open letter sent on May 8, 2025, but that they received no answer. Subsequently, Simion “recurred in these statements”, warns the two federations, in the statement sent Hotnews.

“On May 8, 2025, I addressed Mr. Simion an open letter in which I warned him about this discriminatory language and his effects for the people who really have this diagnosis. I did not receive any answer, and today Mr. Simion has recurred in these statements.”

“Such a stigmatizing language is unacceptable and does not take place, in any form, in the public or political space in Romania,” the statement said.

Accusations of discrimination and instigating hatred

Organizations believe that the attitude of the gold leader is not a mere skid, but a deliberate act: “We consider ignoring our call and repeating the statement as an intentional act of discrimination, instigation of hatred and denigration to 1 million Romanians with disabilities.”

Complaint to CNCD and referral to ECHR

The two organizations announce that they will act on official ways to sanction Simion's discriminatory speech:

• they will file an official complaint to the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD), requesting the sanction of George Simion according to the legislation in force;
• They will notify the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) based on Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of discrimination), considering “major public impact and systemic character of stigmatization of people with disabilities in Romania”.

“The discourse of hatred has nothing to do in Romania in 2025”

The Federation RO TSA and Fonss believes that George Simion's statements violates the dignity of people with autism and perpetuates dangerous stereotypes: “To say about someone is” autistic “in a context of contempt and irony is not only a serious deviation from the norms of civilized dialogue, but also a form of disorders. autistic spectrum and a violation of their dignity. ”

Organizations emphasize that autism is a neurodesemage condition that affects hundreds of thousands of families in Romania and that political leaders must be a model of empathy, not a symbolic aggression factor.

“We will continue to firmly defend the rights of people with TSA”

The RO TSA and Fonss Federation, along with 76 other NGOs, parents and professionals, reaffirms that they will not tolerate such skids and continue to defend the rights of people with autism: “Not the autism, but those who prove hatred, ignorance and stigmatize. They must be learned for people.”

“They must be learned what it means to have respect for people, regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, social category, beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, non -stagnious disease, HIV infection, belonging to a disadvantaged category,” the statement said.

The statement is signed by Daniela Bololoi, president of the RO TSA and Mihaela Munteanu Federation, communication and advocacy director of Fonss.

George Simion apologizes “towards neurodiver people”

A few hours after this skid, George Simion apologized, while he was at a public meeting with a group of Romanians in Brussels: “I'm sorry. He was not scheduled, I was not careful, they were interrupted from the meetings I had today and I said that this counter-candidate is autistic. presidential candidate.

Simion added that his intention would have been to suggest that that candidate is “securityist”: “I wanted to say that this candidate is securityist. And he has in this sense a collaborator diploma when he was going to the Olympics, about the only one he can boast,” the Golden leader said.

A wave of reactions from parents and specialists: “It's not just a joke, it's an attack on human dignity”

George Simion's verbal slip was greeted with harsh reactions from some psychologists, profile organizations and parents with autism. Ana Dragu, a psychologist and founder of a center for people with TSA, called the statement a “serious offense that throws 20 years of fighting and recognition” and announced that it will file a complaint to CNCD, in a discussion with HotNews.

The Autism Voice Association accused a “demonstration of ignorance and contempt”, while Georgiana Mihalcea, author of the series “La Armism”, spoke about “a failure of empathy” and a discourse “that dusts respect due to human dignity”.

The journalist Marius Frățilă, the father of a child with severe autism, reacted: “My child is a much better and better integrated person than the character who now targets the position of president. He would not hurt anyone.”