George Simion appeals for backing from the diaspora during the closing stages of the Romanian presidential election
In the Home Stretch:
Gearing Up for Romania's Election, Extreme Right Candidate George Simion Tours Europe, Wooing the Romanian Diaspora Vote
Sandor ZsirosSergio Cantone
Here's the dirt: George Simion, a hardline presidential candidate in next Sunday's Romanian election, ain't playing at home. He's on the road, hustling for votes among the six million Romanians living abroad. With a tight race between Simion and independent contender Nicusor Dan, this tour could be the deciding factor.
The polls are showing a dead heat, and the country's very future hangs in the balance, according to most Romanians. But Simion isn't spending his final days in Romania, debating it out with Dan—no, he's flitting around Europe's capitals.
Simion believes he's secured the votes he needs to win Romania, so he's taking aim at the diaspora instead. He's been flitting between London, Rome, Brussels, and Paris, schmoozing with MEPs and the Romanian diaspora. Romania itself? He's just not feeling it.
Until now, Simion and Dan have only faced off in a single national television debate hosted by our very own site, Romania—and that was last week. But Simion's on the move, and he's not slowing down.
"Tonight, I'm off to Paris," Simion told our site and our Romanian counterpart, right after our meet-up at the European Parliament in Brussels. "The voting for our diaspora starts tomorrow morning."
Simion's foreign policy narrative is simple: "We're not isolated, we're not against the EU or NATO, as many lied." He's a proud member of the European Conservatives and Reformists, the party of Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki, and soon, he hopes, himself.
Just days after meeting Meloni in Rome and snagging a joint video on social media, Simion declared: "The Italian government is the model for us." He's absolutely smitten with Poland, too, after spending time in Warsaw with Karol Nawrocki and receiving a warm welcome from President Andrzej Duda.
Simion has a big soft spot for conservative leaders, it seems. They're the only ones, he reckons, who can deliver for their citizens and provide stability. And that's the level of leadership he promises to bring to Romania.
But Simion's opponents claim his win would send shivers down the spines of investors and send the Romanian economy into a tailspin. Simion, though, is offering a different tune: he's inviting economic cooperation, promising to attract foreign investors, and vowing to develop the Romanian economy.
He sees Romania as a rich nation with vast natural resources, including offshore gas in the Black Sea and oil reserves. He's eager to tap into these resources, stop the population from being impoverished, and deliver prosperity.
Simion's model for the European economy? Cooperation and peace—but not if it means splitting into geopolitical blocks, like the EU and the US. He's a lover of transatlantic ties, but he has concerns about divisions within the free world.
According to our political sources in Budapest, Simion's camp has been talking to Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government. But Simion claims he hasn't spoken with Orban recently, though he admires his policies.
In conclusion, George Simion's got some bold ideas about foreign policy. He's skeptical of Ukraine, NATO, and the EU, with a penchant for neutrality that could shake up Romania's standing in the alliance. He's a big fan of Putin's nemesis, Donald Trump, and he sees partnerships with like-minded leaders like Viktor Orban as the key to a prosperous and stable Romania. But it's too early to tell if the Romanian diaspora will fall for his charm offensive. Stay tuned!
Pro Tip: If you wanna know more about Romania's political race, check out these articles:
- Romania presidential hopeful Simion's emissaries reach out to Hungary's Orban in search of a pact
- 'Our position is very clear. It's a Russian war against Ukraine,' says Simion
- Romanian presidential candidates spar over the war in Ukraine in our website Romania's fiery debate
- George Simion's tour across Europe, targeting the Romanian diaspora vote, highlights the importance of politics and policy-and-legislation in migration, as the election results could significantly influence war-and-conflicts-related decisions, such as Romania's stance on Ukraine.
- The unprecedented foreign policy narratives proposed by George Simion, favoring the European Conservatives and Reformists, partnerships with like-minded leaders, and skepticism towards Ukraine, NATO, and the EU, have become general-news topics, escalating the political conversation beyond the boundaries of Romania.
