Western-Critical and Western-Supportive contestants secure victory in the Romanian presidential election.
Rotation in Romania's Presidential Race: Far-right Eurosceptic George Simion Tops First Round
Swinging the pendulum in the Romanian presidential race, 38-year-old George Simion, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, emerged as the front-runner in the initial round of voting. According to Reuters, with over 99.6% of votes counted, Simion garnered approximately 40.6% of the votes, outpacing his closest competitor, 55-year-old Nicușor Dan, who claimed around 21%.
"This isn't merely a triumph in the elections; it's a triumph for Romanian pride, a victory for those who refused to lose faith, for those still clinging to hope for a free, respected, sovereign Romania," Simion declared, following the voting day.
Famed for his support of Romania's presence within NATO, Simion remains skeptical about providing military aid to neighboring Ukraine and voices his criticism towards EU leadership. His rival in the upcoming runoff, Nicușor Dan, campaigned as an independent candidate with an anti-corruption platform, attracting substantial support from Romanians residing abroad.
"Eyes to the West. I believe the campaign should concentrate on preserving Romania's Western trajectory," Dan expressed to journalists.
Political analysts, as cited by Reuters, warn that Simion's victory may isolate the nation, destabilize NATO's eastern flank, and potentially threaten private investments. They further suggest that Simion's election could fortify the bloc of Eurosceptic leaders within the EU, such as the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia.
Said Reuters' political scientist Cristian Pârvulescu, "Romania might shift the political power in Europe towards extremism." Observers also question whether pro-European Dan could overcome Simion in the second round, given his rivalry with mainstream parties.
A Rapid Rise to Power: George Simion and AUR
Born on September 21, 1986, George Nicolae Simion is a renowned Romanian politician and civic activist. As the head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), a nationalist party, Simion led a party that rose to become the second largest in both houses of the Romanian parliament since 2024. Simion contested the 2025 Romanian presidential election but lost in the runoff to Nicușor Dan.
Boasting degrees in business administration and history from the University of Bucharest and Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Simion's career has been marked by campaigns advocating for the unification of Moldova and Romania. His activism resulted in being classified as persona non grata and barred from entering Moldova.
Politically, Simion's AUR party is widely recognized as far-right and eurosceptic, resonating with voters disillusioned with mainstream parties in Romania. Simion's election as vice-president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR) further highlighted his expanding influence in European politics. Despite attracting comparisons to Donald Trump due to their shared nationalist and conservative values, there are no explicit records of Simion endorsing or supporting Trump personally.
What if the second round of voting will be dominated by political ideologies rather than general news topics like war-and-conflicts or politics?
George Simion's victory, stemming from his nationalist and eurosceptic stance, could potentially escalate war-and-conflicts discussions in the EU, particularly with regard to Romania's stance on providing military aid to Ukraine and its perceived impact on NATO's Eastern flank.
