Pro-Russian presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was detained on Wednesday.
“Călin Georgescu was going to submit his new candidacy for the presidency. About 30 minutes ago, the system stopped him on the road and took him to a hearing at the prosecutor’s office! Where is democracy, where are the partners who are supposed to defend democracy?” – reads a message from his communications team posted on Georgescu’s personal Facebook page on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, he reported massive searches of his supporters, calling the current government a “communist-bolshevik system,” and called on everyone to gather for a protest on Victory Square in Bucharest on Saturday, March 1.
As reported, Georgescu became the leader of the first round of elections held in the country on November 24, with 22.94% of voters supporting him. The second place with 19.18% of the vote went to the leader of the liberal progressive party “Union for the Salvation of Romania” Elena Lasconi. However, one of the presidential candidates, Cristian Terges, who is supported by the Romanian National Conservative Party, claimed election fraud. The Romanian Constitutional Court unanimously decided to recount all valid and invalid ballots, and on December 6, unanimously decided to cancel the results of the first round of the presidential election two days before the second round. The election was canceled against the backdrop of declassified information from the intelligence services indicating Russian interference in the election.
Later, the ruling coalition in Romania decided on the date of the new presidential elections, which will be held on May 4 and May 18.
Georgescu called Ukraine a “fictitious state” and said that its territories would be divided by neighboring countries. According to him, if elected, he will not allow the continuation of Ukrainian grain exports through Romania and further military aid to Kyiv. He also claimed that Bucharest is not obliged to comply with NATO’s defense spending commitments and questioned the effectiveness of the use of EU funds that have contributed to economic growth and infrastructure development in Romania. Earlier, the Experts Club and Active Group released a video analysis of the most important elections in the world in 2025, for more details, see the video review – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=-rc6YHH7EA1pnr7w
Information and analytical center Experts Club analyzed the data of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the external debts of states and their ratio to the GDP of states. The video is available on the Experts Club YouTube channel. In 2023, the leader in terms of public debt to GDP was Sudan – its figure reached 252%. This is due to the economic crisis, the consequences of the armed conflict and hyperinflation.
In second place is Japan (206%), which traditionally holds a high debt burden due to large-scale government borrowing and debt financing of the budget.
Third place went to Lebanon (195%), whose economy continues to suffer from the effects of the financial crisis, corruption and political instability.
Further down in the ranking are:
4. Greece – 185%
5. Singapore – 177%
6. Argentina – 155%
7. Italy – 132%
8. Zambia – 127%
9. Bahrain – 123%
10. Maldives – 123%
11. Bhutan – 116%
12. Laos – 116%
13. Cape Verde – 114%
14. Barbados – 113%
15. USA – 112%
16. Cyprus – 112%
17. Portugal – 105%
18. Great Britain – 101%
19. Dominica – 100%
20. Republic of Congo – 99%
Maxim Urakin, founder of the information and analytical center Experts Club, PhD in Economics, said that a high level of public debt in relation to GDP is a serious challenge for the economy of any country.
“In some cases, such as Sudan or Lebanon, this is a consequence of structural crises, armed conflicts, and political instability. At the same time, countries such as Japan and Singapore, despite their high debt ratios, have sustainable economic models that allow them to effectively manage their financial obligations. It is crucial for Ukraine to find a balance between attracting external financing and ensuring economic sustainability to avoid a debt trap and excessive dependence on creditors,” Urakin said.
As of 2023, Ukraine’s external debt totaled $132.4 billion and its ratio to GDP was 87%. Ukraine is not among the top 20 countries with the highest debt-to-GDP ratio, but ranks high among countries with large government liabilities.
In terms of absolute debt, Ukraine is about 30th in the world, but due to the military conflict and the need for external financing, this indicator continues to grow.
If the situation does not stabilize, further growth of the debt burden is predicted, which may lead to difficulties in debt servicing and increased dependence on international creditors.
Video analysis is available at the link – https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oT_5cTOnM8k
Exit polls conducted after the parliamentary elections in Germany indicate the victory of the CDU/CSU opposition bloc, Bild reported on its Telegram channel on Sunday. The leader of the race was the CDU/CSU party led by Friedrich Merz, which, according to exit polls, received 29% of the vote. This means that Merz will become the new chancellor.
“Compared to the 2021 elections, the Christian Democrats have significantly strengthened their position,” Bild writes.
The second place, according to the polls, was taken by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which almost doubled its previous result, gaining about 19%.
“However, despite its success, it will remain in opposition, as other parties are not ready to cooperate with it,” Bild notes.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) under the leadership of Olaf Scholz suffered a catastrophic defeat, receiving only 16% of the vote – the worst result in 135 years. The Greens (about 13%) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is teetering on the brink of entering parliament, also suffered serious losses.
Bild calls the return of the Left party “unexpected”, which, despite weakening after the departure of Sarah Wagenknecht, managed to overcome the 5% threshold and gain about 8%. At the same time, the BSW movement, founded by Wagenknecht, stopped at around 5%: it is still unclear whether the party will get into the Bundestag or not.
Now the main question is who will join the ruling coalition. So far, an alliance of the CDU/CSU with the SPD seems to be a possible option, as the Conservatives and the Greens may not have enough votes.
“We can expect certainty in the coming weeks, when negotiations on the formation of a new government begin,” Bild observers note. Information and analytical center Experts Club and Active Group have previously released a video analysis of the most important elections in the world in 2025, more details in the video review – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=-rc6YHH7EA1pnr7w
Polling stations have opened in Germany for the early Bundestag elections. They will be open until 18.00 on Sunday. A total of 29 political parties are running in the election.
Since 08:00 on Sunday, February 23, polling stations have opened throughout Germany for voting in the early Bundestag elections. They will be open until 18.00.
There are about 59.2 million voters in the country. Of these, 24.9 million (42%) are over 60 years old. About 2.3 million voters (3.9%) are young people who have reached the age of 18 and are eligible to vote in federal elections for the first time.
About 200,000 more German citizens registered to vote abroad. Their total number is estimated at about 3-4 million. The reason for the low turnout among them is bureaucratic difficulties and the need to send a ballot to their home country by mail.
A total of 29 political parties are running in the elections. In all 16 federal states, 10 of them will run: The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Union 90/Greens, the Free Democratic Party (FDP), the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the Left Party, the Sarah Wagenknecht Union (SZV), the Free Voters, Volt, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany, and the Alliance Germany. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is running in 15 states, except Bavaria. Its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), is running there.
Pre-election polls promised the greatest support for the conservative CDU/CSU bloc. It was followed by the far-right AfD. Then came the center-left SPD and the left-liberal Greens. The rating of the Left Party, the left-wing populist FDP and the liberal FDP hovered around the 5% required to enter the Bundestag. According to sociologists, about 20% of voters were undecided about whom to vote for and whether to go to the polls at all.
The Experts Club and Active Group have previously released a video analysis of the most important elections in the world in 2025 https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=-rc6YHH7EA1pnr7w
Source: https://amp.dw.com/ru/v-germanii-nacalos-golosovanie-na-vyborah-v-bundestag/a-71717875
The eurozone’s GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024 increased by 0.1% compared to the previous three months, according to a report by the European Union’s statistical office, which presented revised data. Previously, it was reported that GDP remained unchanged. Experts on average expected the previous estimate to be confirmed, according to Trading Economics.
In annual terms, the eurozone economy grew by 0.9%, the fastest pace since the beginning of 2023. The dynamics of this indicator coincided with the previous estimate and the consensus forecast of analysts.
In the third quarter, eurozone GDP increased by 0.4% compared to the previous three months and by 0.9% in annual terms.
In October-December, Germany’s economy declined by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter, France’s by 0.1%, Spain’s by 0.8%, and Italy’s GDP remained unchanged.
In annual terms, Germany’s GDP also decreased by 0.2%, France’s by 0.7%, Spain’s by 3.5%, and Italy’s by 0.5%.
In the fourth quarter, the EU economy grew by 0.2% compared to the previous three months and by 1.1% in annual terms.
This is the second estimate of GDP dynamics for the fourth quarter out of three. The third estimate will be published on March 7. According to preliminary data, in 2024, the euro area’s GDP grew by 0.7%, and the EU’s by 0.9%.
Experts Club Analytical Center and Maksim Urakin released earlier video analysis about the economy of Ukraine and the world – https://youtu.be/LT0sE3ymMnQ?si=b_tVU8Zeg_-xZVEo.
Source: http://relocation.com.ua/vvp-yevrozony-v-iv-kvartali-zris-na-01/
February 2025 was a month that reflected the current challenges and prospects for the Ukrainian and global economies. Geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and global changes in trade flows continue to affect economic development. Maksim Urakin, Founder of the Experts Club Information and Analytical Center, PhD in Economics, noted that Ukraine is showing signs of gradual economic recovery despite the difficult internal and external conditions.
Ukraine’s economy in February 2025
According to the National Bank, real GDP growth in January 2025 was 3.4% compared to the same period in 2024. The main drivers of growth were:
– Agriculture: the recovery in exports and the expansion of sales markets provided an increase of 6.5%.
– IT sector: IT services remained a key source of foreign exchange earnings, showing an increase of 10.4%.
– Construction: thanks to large-scale investments in infrastructure and international support, the sector grew by 4.2%.
“Amid the ongoing war and global turmoil, Ukraine’s economy is showing both signs of recovery and certain problems that need attention,” said Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
In January 2025, annual inflation was 12.9%, which is higher than in 2024 (12%). This is due to rising food and energy prices. At the same time, the hryvnia exchange rate remains relatively stable, fluctuating between UAH 39-40 per dollar, thanks to the support of international partners and export earnings.
“The decline in inflation is a positive signal for the economy, but an important task remains to increase the level of household incomes to compensate for the impact of past inflationary shocks,” Urakin emphasized.
In January 2025, Ukraine’s exports increased to $3.1 billion, driven by shipments of products and metals. However, imports also increased, mainly due to energy and equipment. The negative balance of foreign trade remains.
“Export dynamics show that Ukrainian companies are actively looking for new markets. Strengthening competitiveness and improving logistics could be the key to reducing the trade deficit,” Urakin said.
In January 2025, the state budget revenues of Ukraine amounted to UAH 282.8 billion, including UAH 128.2 billion for the general fund, which is 83.4% and 10.5% more than in January 2024, respectively. The main role in this was played by revenues from VAT and excise taxes, as well as international assistance. Ukraine’s international reserves increased to $40.1 billion, one of the highest levels in recent years.
“Financial support from international partners remains an important factor in macroeconomic stability. However, it is important to lay the foundation for independent economic growth now,” Urakin emphasized.
Global economic situation in February 2025
According to the IMF, global GDP is expected to grow by 2.9% in 2025, slightly lower than in 2024 (3%). The main reasons for the slowdown are the high cost of borrowing, uncertainty in the financial markets and a decline in global demand.
THE UNITED STATES: The economy is showing moderate growth at 2.3%, driven by robust domestic demand and investment in innovative industries.
European Union: The growth rate remains low at 1.1% due to the ongoing energy crisis and problems in the industry.
China: Growth slowed to 4.5%, due to the real estate crisis and a decline in exports.
India: Stable growth of 6.8%, remaining one of the fastest growing economies.
“The global economy is in a state of fragile balance. The main risks are related to geopolitical instability and high interest rates. However, countries with diversified economies are better able to cope with these challenges,” – Mr. Urakin said.
Oil: Oil prices in February 2025 are around $83 per barrel, having stabilized after the spikes of late 2024.
Gas: The European market continues to be under pressure, with an average gas price of €67 per MWh, due to persistent supply shortages.
Metals: Demand for steel and aluminum has declined, putting pressure on the export capacity of developing countries.
Central banks in major economies are keeping interest rates high to fight inflation. For example, the US Federal Reserve keeps its interest rate at 5.5%, which limits access to cheap capital but helps to reduce inflation.
Ukraine’s economy in February 2025 shows signs of stability and growth, but risks associated with inflation, foreign trade deficit, and dependence on international aid remain. The global economy is slowing down, which creates additional challenges for emerging market countries.
“It is important for Ukraine to continue attracting foreign investment, developing its export potential and strengthening its domestic market. Only systemic reforms and integration into the global economy will allow us to overcome the current difficulties and create the basis for long-term growth,” summarized Maksim Urakin.
You can learn more about current trends in the global economy in the video on the Experts Club YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT0sE3ymMnQ
You can subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
