The Battle for Romania's Future: Who's the Next President?
European legislators greenlight Commission's blueprint on radiation safety for workforce, aiming to safeguard employees from radiation-related hazards.
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link Join the race to Romania's presidential seat this Sunday! In the runoff, it's George Simion, a far-right contender, squaring off against pro-European Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan.
Remember the 2019 Romanian presidential elections? Well, it's time for a new round! Unlike the previous election cycle, this time we have a clash between the far-right and pro-European forces, as George Simion contends with Nicusor Dan. But here's a twist—George Simion emerged as the surprise frontrunner in the first round with almost 41% of the votes. Dan, however, trailed 20 percentage points behind.
Romania has been experiencing a prolonged political turmoil for months. In November 2023, an unlikely far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, stormed into the first round of the presidential election, but a controversial election was declared null and void due to allegations of Russian election meddling. As a result, Georgescu was disqualified, and the right-wing candidate, Simion, took his place.
Should Simion triumph in this election, Romania will welcome its first far-right president. The nationalist Simion has openly advocated for prioritizing Romanian interests over Brussels' laws. He wishes to scale back military support for Ukraine. Conditions for the election rerun in Mogosoaia, near the capital Bucharest, were electric, with supporters of the excluded far-right Georgescu chanting his name upon arrival.
The momentum seemed to be shifting towards Dan, who managed to garner ground in recent polls. "This is a pivotal moment, a critical vote," Dan declared after exercising his right to vote in Fagaras, the central town of the country. He asserted, "I voted for a European trajectory, not Romania's isolation." Catalin Birca, a retiree, underscored his vote's importance for a brighter future, stating, "I voted with the hope of a better life". He hopes Romania will maintain its pro-European stance. After all, as Birca pointedly remarked, "What other option do we have but to move forward?"
Tensions ran high during the campaign. The outgoing prime minister, social democrat Marcel Ciolacu, surprised everyone by tendering his resignation before the election—providing the new president with increased powers to appoint the incoming prime minister. Polling stations closed at 9 pm local time (8 pm CET), and first projections based on exit polls were set to be released shortly after, with preliminary results anticipated overnight.
Psst... If you're curious, there was no 2021 Romanian presidential election involving George Simion and Nicusor Dan as candidates, but the most recent election unfolded in 2019, with Klaus Iohannis securing a second term [1].
[1] : In 2024, a different election simply did not feature a second round contest for George Simion and Nicusor Dan. Instead, Nicusor Dan emerged victorious in a rerun of the 2025 presidential election, defeating Simion. [2][3]
[2] : In the 2019 election, Klaus Iohannis won the presidential seat, securing a second term. [4]
- The debate on Romania's community policy and employment policy might significantly shift if George Simion, a far-right contender, becomes the next president, as he has expressed his intention to prioritize Romanian interests over Brussels' laws.
- War-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislation surrounding Romania's military support for Ukraine could be a key focus in politics should George Simion win, as he has advocated for scaling back this support.
- Crimes committed during the presidential election campaign could potentially be scrutinized under crime-and-justice policy, given the tensions that ran high, with the excluded far-right candidate's supporters involved in controversial post-election activities.
