Romania Presidential Election: Right-Wing Candidates Advance

Romania Heads to Runoff Election with Far-Right Candidate

“We are strong and brave, many of us voted, even more will do so in the second round...”

Romania's presidential election takes a surprising turn as NATO-sceptic candidate Calin Georgescu leads in the first round, with a runoff election set to take place.

Romania's presidential election has taken a surprising turn, with incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) set to be eliminated from the first round. With 99.9% of votes counted, hard-right NATO-sceptic Calin Georgescu is leading with 22.9% of the vote.

Calin Georgescu's popularity was a surprise to many, as he was not widely known before the election. He ran independently and lacks a clear agenda, but his populist manifesto has resonated with many Romanians ². His stances include supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production.

The runoff election will now be between Georgescu and center-right candidate Elena Lasconi, who secured 19.16% of the vote. Lasconi, a former journalist and the leader of the Save Romania Union party (USR), has been running on an anti-corruption reformist agenda.

Prime Minister Ciolacu, who was the pre-vote favorite, is projected to finish third. This outcome is a significant blow to the PSD, Romania's most powerful party. The presidential election's second round is scheduled to take place on December 8.

Calin Georgescu has pulled off a stunning upset in the first round of Romania's presidential election. Despite polling at only around 5% in the lead-up to the election, Georgescu, a NATO-sceptic and former member of the far-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians party, has taken the lead with approximately 22% of the vote .

Georgescu's campaign has been marked by controversy, including claims that NATO would not protect its members in the event of a Russian attack. He has also described the alliance's ballistic missile defense shield in Deveselu, Romania, as a “shame of diplomacy.”

This unexpected turn of events has left Romania's political landscape reeling. Georgescu's jump from single-figure ratings to first-round election lead is unprecedented since the collapse of communism in Romania in 1989.

“Never in our 34 years of democracy have we seen such a surge compared to surveys,” political commentator Radu Magdin told the Reuters news agency.

“We are strong and brave, many of us voted, even more will do so in the second round,” Georgescu said on Sunday evening.

Romania's presidential role is largely ceremonial, but it holds significant sway over defense spending, a crucial issue for the country as a key NATO member sharing a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine. The president also plays a vital role in maintaining the country's Black Sea ports, essential for exporting Ukrainian grain. Amidst pressure to increase NATO spending and reduce the fiscal deficit, the president's decisions will have far-reaching implications.

Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union party (USR), secured second place in the presidential election. As a former journalist, Lasconi has emphasized the need to tackle corruption, a pervasive issue in Romania. Her platform includes increasing defense spending and continuing aid to Ukraine, aligning with Romania's growing importance within NATO.

The winner of the second round of Romania's presidential election will succeed current President Klaus Iohannis, a liberal who has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since taking office in 2014.