Romanians cast ballots in a presidential contest showcasing Trump-inspired nationalism
In the heart of Europe, Romanians took to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a presidential election, with far-right eurosceptic candidate George Simion potentially poised to win. Simion, at just 38 years old, has captured the imagination of many Romanians, riding a wave of popular discontent and anger.
Simion has made his stance clear: he criticizes the EU leadership, opposes military aid to Ukraine, and aligns with the US president's Make America Great Again movement. Five months after a cancelled first attempt due to alleged Russian interference in favor of far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu, Simion leads opinion polls.
By 0710 GMT, around 1.98 million Romanians, or 11% of registered voters, had cast their ballots. The voting process will end at 9 p.m., followed by exit polls and preliminary results later in the evening.
Simion voted alongside Georgescu, who denounced the election as a "fraud" and urged people to take their country back. As dozens of supporters chanted "Calin for president," Simion expressed his vote as a means to "restore democracy."
Simion is polling at around 30%, a comfortable lead but short of the 50% he needs to avoid a run-off on May 18. Among his key competitors are two centrist candidates: former senator Crin Antonescu, backed by the current pro-Western government, and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, running as an independent on an anti-corruption platform. Both are pro-EU and pro-NATO and back Ukraine.
If elected, Simion could potentially isolate the country, erode private investment, and destabilize NATO's eastern flank, where Ukraine is fighting a three-year-old Russian invasion. The contest reflects a broader clash between far-right nationalism and pro-EU centrism in Romania.
Simion is not the only MAGA-style politician seeking election in central Europe. Karol Nawrocki, backed by Poland's main nationalist opposition party, could also expand a cohort of eurosceptic leaders that already includes the Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers.
The Romanian president, who has a semi-executive role, can command the armed forces, chair the security council, veto EU votes, and appoint key officials. The Trump administration has criticized Romania for suppressing political opposition and lacking democratic values after the cancellation of the November 2024 election. A team of US observers was stationed in Bucharest for Sunday's vote, monitoring the proceedings alongside diplomats and monitors from numerous countries. Some observers have alleged a "nefarious activity" during the November 2024 election.
- The far-right eurosceptic candidate George Simion, with his opinion leaning against the EU leadership and in favor of war-and-conflicts politics, could potentially win the Romanian presidential election after polling at around 30%.
- Despite leading in opinion polls, George Simion needs to secure more than 50% of votes to avoid a run-off election on May 18, as he is currently short of that mark.
- In the general news, there have been allegations of suppressing political opposition and lacking democratic values in Romania, with the US administration expressing criticism towards the country.
- Aside from Romania, central Europe is also witnessing the rise of MAGA-style politicians, such as Karol Nawrocki, who is backed by Poland's main nationalist opposition party, further expanding a cohort of eurosceptic leaders that already includes the Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers.
