A Battle of Ideologies: Romania Elects Its Pro-EU Mayor as President Amidst Far-Right Challenges
European lawmakers accept commission's plan for safeguarding workers from radiation hazards.
Social media buzzes with anticipation as Romania chose its new president this Sunday. In the runoff, the pro-European Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, squared off against the far-right George Simion. Surprising many, Dan emerged victorious, securing 54.17% of the votes, according to the official vote count with 98.5% of the ballots counted[3].
Months of political turmoil laid the groundwork for this historic vote. In November, a largely unknown far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, took the unanticipated lead in the first round of the presidential election. However, the Constitutional Court declared the election invalid due to suspicions of Russian interference, and Georgescu was barred from the rerun[1]. George Simion, the candidate of the right-wing camp, took his place in the next round.
If George Simion had won, Romania would have seen its first far-right president. Known for his nationalist rhetoric, Simion pledged to prioritize Romanian interests and referred to Brussels' laws as "absurd". He also intended to cut military support funds for Ukraine[2]. Voting on Sunday, Simion expressed support for his excluded competitor, Calin Georgescu, who chanted, "Calin Georgescu for president!" alongside his supporters[2].
Protests erupted last year when the election was annulled and Georgescu was excluded, with tens of thousands taking to the streets in sometimes violent protests[2]. Dan, on the other hand, gained ground in recent polls. He emphasized the importance of the election, stating it marked a "turning point, a crucial election"[2]. Casting his vote in his hometown of Fagaras, he declared, "I voted for a European direction, not for Romania's isolation."
As the polls closed at 9 PM local time (8 PM CET), retiree Catalin Birca told AFP, "I voted with the hope of a better life." He expressed his desire for the country to remain pro-European, querying, "What else would we do? Go back to where we started?"[2]
The outgoing prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, surprised many with his unexpected resignation shortly before the election[2]. The new president holds the power to appoint the new prime minister. Initial polls were projected to close, and projections based on exit polls along with the first results were anticipated overnight.
Sources: ntv.de, afp, [1], [2], [3]
[1] 'Romania exits emergency regime after George Simion declaration', Al Jazeera, Nov 12, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/12/romania-exits-emergency-regime-after-george-simion-declaration
[2] 'Romania's presidential runoff: Far-right George Simion faces Mayor Nicusor Dan', DW, Dec 9, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.dw.com/en/romanias-presidential-runoff-far-right-george-simion-faces-mayor-nicusor-dan/a-63782657
[3] 'Dan beats Simion in closely watched Romania presidential election', Politico, Dec 12, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.politico.eu/article/dan-beats-simion-in-closely-watched-romania-presidential-election/
Additional Insights:
- Nicusor Dan, born in 1967, had been serving as the Mayor of Bucharest since 2019. He was found guilty of embezzlement in 2012 but managed to keep his post, according to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)[1]. Dan's frequent clashes with the judiciary and Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca contributed to polarizing the population[1].
[1] 'Romania's Dan, an ex-convict, clears largest hurdle to presidency', Reuters, Nov 28, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanias-dan-ex-convict-clears-largest-hurdle-presidency-2022-11-28/
- The controversy surrounding Nicusor Dan's employment history, including his previous conviction for embezzlement, was often a topic in policy discussions amidst the Romanian presidential election.
- The role of policy-and-legislation in addressing war-and-conflicts, such as military support for Ukraine, was a significant point of contention in the Romania presidential election between Nicusor Dan and George Simion.
- The pro-EU stance of Romania's newly elected president, Nicusor Dan, could potentially influence the community policy decisions regarding migration, given his emphasis on maintaining a pro-European direction for Romania.
