Far-right candidate wins initial round of Romania's presidential election, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu as his pro-EU coalition candidate falls short of advancing to the run-off.
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In a surprising turn of events, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu tendered his resignation, hot on the heels of the far-right opposition leader clinching a decisive win in the first round of the presidential election rerun.
Ciolacu announced his decision on Monday, stating that his centre-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) would withdraw from the pro-Western coalition, effectively bringing an end to it. Meanwhile, the cabinet ministers will continue to serve in an interim capacity until a fresh majority emerges after the presidential run-off.
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The hard-line eurosceptic George Simion emerged victorious in Sunday's vote, gathering over 41% of the votes, and will lock horns with an independent centrist, Nicusor Dan, in the May 18 run-off. Notably, the coalition candidate Crin Antonescu trailed behind.
"Rather than to let the future president replace me, I decided to resign myself," said Ciolacu.
Following a parliamentary election in December 2019, the Social Democrats claimed the most seats; however, Simion's Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and two other far-right groups amassed more than a third of the seats, cementing their position as a significant political force.
Prior to forming the coalition government with the centrist Liberals and ethnic Hungarian UDMR to keep Romania on a pro-Western path, the Social Democrats had demanded a common candidate for the presidency, a condition that was not met.
"This coalition is no longer legitimate," Ciolacu declared following a PSD meeting.
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Simion, who has made no bones about his admiration for the controversial Calin Georgescu (now banned from standing in the race again), hinted Georgescu might serve as his prime minister, should he win. The election underscores the deep-seated discontent among substantial segments of the Romanian electorate, who are grappling with high living costs and security concerns.
Analysts suggest that a Simion victory might isolate Romania, possibly eroding private investment, and destabilising NATO's eastern flank, where Bucharest plays a crucial role in providing logistical support to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Simion's AUR party, which champions family, nation, faith, and freedom, gained popularity after the 2020 parliamentary elections and has since doubled its support base. In a post-election address, Simion emphasized his alignment with the MAGA movement, capitalizing on the growing wave of populism in Europe following former U.S. President Donald Trump's political comeback.
Some controversy surrounds Simion's background, with reports linking him to civic activism, ultra soccer groups, and protests against Canadian gold mining projects. If Simion were to become president, his leadership would likely reshape Romania's political landscape and international relations.
- George Simion's opinion about the MAGA movement aligns with his party's stance, as he emphasized this alignment in his post-election address.
- The resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu follows the decisive win of hard-line eurosceptic George Simion in the presidential election rerun, according to breaking news.
- Simion's victory in the May 18 run-off could potentially isolate Romania, destabilising NATO's eastern flank, say political analysts.
- The deep-seated discontent among substantial segments of the Romanian electorate, who are grappling with high living costs and security concerns, was underscored in the recent election.
- Analysts suggest that if Simion were to become president, his leadership would likely reshape Romania's political landscape and international relations.
- The parliamentary election in December 2019 saw the Social Democrats claim the most seats, but the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and two other groups amassed more than a third of the seats, solidifying their position as a significant political force.
