Romania's Presidential Elections 2025: Initial Polls Indicate Ultranationalist Contender in Lead, Intense Competition for Second Place
In the pulsating initial round of Romania's presidential elections, the ultra-conservative George Simion of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) claimed victory, racking up over 30% of the votes, according to both CURS and Avangarde exit polls. The incumbent, Crin Antonescu of the ruling coalition, and Nicușor Dan, the centrist independent mayor of Bucharest, found themselves locked in a tight race for the second spot, with their scores seemingly neck and neck.
The preliminary results from Avangarde and CURS were announced at 19:00 and 20:00 respectively. The polling results did not account for the diaspora votes. Reportedly, the overall turnout was 53.2%, amounting to 9.5 million voters, with an additional 969,023 votes cast by those abroad, a significant increase from the previous year's tally.
The wave of eleven candidates included in the repeat elections was set forth following the annulment of the results from last year's elections due to allegations of foreign interference by the Constitutional Court.
As polling stations began submitting their results, the updated findings were continually updated here.
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The chief contenders for Romania's 2025 presidential chair are:
George Simion (AUR)
A proponent of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), Simion captivated approximately 40-41% of votes in the first round, basking in the glow of a notable victory. He champions policies mirroring the "MAGA" philosophy popularized by Trump, advocates for suspending military aid to Ukraine, and espouses ultranationalist views.
Nicușor Dan (Independent)
Fuelled by the support of the DREPT-PMP-FD-REPER coalition, the centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, secured ~21% of the votes. As a pro-European reformist, he champions anti-corruption and institutional modernization.
Crin Antonescu (A.RO Coalition)
Candidate of the governing National Liberal Party (PNL) within the Romania Forward (A.RO) coalition (which includes PSD, the UDMR, and other parties), Antonescu clinched the third spot with ~20% of votes. The coalition's parliamentary majority has appeared weakened post-election.
Elena-Valeria Lasconi (USR)
Leader of the save Romania Union (USR), Elena-Valeria Lasconi underwhelmed, securing only 2.68% in the initial polls, marking a stark contrast from her 2024 performance. USR abandoned the anti-far-right coalition earlier this election cycle.
Notable Additional Contenders:
- Victor Ponta (Pro Romania): A former prime minister (2012-2015)
- Cristian-Vasile Terhes (PNCR): Romanian National Conservative Party MEP
- Lavinia Sandru (PUSL): Humanist Social Liberal Party candidate
With the second round set to pit Simion against Dan, Simion remains the clear-cut front-runner.
Romanians following the general news are keen to watch the second round of Romania's president elections, as the race between George Simion and Nicușor Dan unfolds. The significance of the UDMR party in this election is questionable, as their candidate did not make it to the second round. Political Commentators are discussing the shift in the roles and powers of the Romanian President, particularly in light of the diverse group of candidates vying for the position, including the prominent figures like Victor Ponta and Cristian-Vasile Terhes. Despite a stronger-than-expected performance in the initial round, Simona's party, the USR, seems to have lost some of its influence in this election cycle.
