This Romanian Mayor Might Have Accepted Millions in Bribes, but at Least He Looks Fabulous

April 8, 2015, 10:11am

This article originally appeared on VICE Romania.

Located right by the Black Sea, Constanța is Romania’s main port and its number-one tourist destination, and for the past 19 years it’s had the pleasure of being run by mayor and legendary party animal Radu Mazăre. If you keep up with local Romanian politics you’ll know that Radu was recently arrested for—among other things—allegedly accepting a $10 million bribe for a contract that cost taxpayers $28 million more than it should have.

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But we’re not here to talk about politics and corruption; we’re here to talk about a flamboyant man who spends his days doing extreme sports, and inadvertently wearing Nazi uniforms to fashion shows, and his nights partying. A man who, whenever it gets too cold, jets out to his mansion in Brazil, because it’s totally fine to just rule Constanța over the phone for a couple of months a year, right?

Presumably inspired by Rio’s carnival, Radu has started holding his own version in Romania during the summer, providing a convenient excuse to dress up and party even more than he already was. In fact, turns out he loves dressing up so much that he sometimes even does it at political events. Here are his ten most ridiculous costumes.

THE PHARAOH
During one of his infamous carnivals, Radu dressed up as a kind of Rameses knockoff, complete with the apathetic wax-statue stare of someone who’s really nailed that whole “phoned-in governance” thing.

THE KNIGHT
Here he is dressed like Stephen the Great, a famous Romanian historical leader, dwarf, religious nut, and pimp. Tyrion Lannister if Tyrion Lannister were obsessed with building churches.

THE EDWARDIAN PARTY KING
Here you’d probably assume Radu is at another carnival event. He’s not. He’s just at a tourism fair, inexplicably dressed like a fairytale king.

THE SEXY SULTAN
Here he is dressed like sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, doing his best to troll anyone who’s ever used the hashtag #culturalappropriation.

THE FLASHY HUNTER
I don’t know what’s going on here. Is he supposed to be a Zulu king? Did he just have a crown and some feathers left over in his dress-up box? Either way, it looks like he’s having a much better time ruling his city than de Blasio (or maybe not?).

THE FRENCH ARISTOCRAT
Here he is holding a cane, dressed like Louis XIV, because fuck responsibility.

THE COURT JESTER
Presented without comment.

THE PICADOR
Yeah he’s been accused of some pretty serious corruption charges, but hear me out: can you name any other local politicians who’ve decided it’s OK to take a night off, rent a bullfighter outfit, and prance around onstage at a fashion show? Didn’t think so.

THE REVOLUTIONARY
In 2011 Radu was under investigation for corruption, which naturally led to him showing up at press conferences to discuss his accusations dressed like Che Guevara. That’s how much of a fuck he gives.

THE BOASTER
Still not a carnival. Nor a building site. Just a regular political event, showing his team that he has so much money it requires a big old shovel to move it about.

Long live Mayor Mazăre.

Tagged:
Constantina, corrupt, costumes, dress to impress, eccentric, Mayor, OOTD, Radu Mazăre, ramses, Romanian, Stuff, Vice Blog

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