“It is not only an electoral victory, it is a victory for Romanian dignity”assured the far -right candidate on Sunday to the Romanian presidential election, George Simion, in a declaration broadcast in particular by the chain Euronews Romania. With more than 40 % of the vote in the first round, the head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), 38, goes far beyond the surveys and leads the race in mind against the candidate of the Proeuropian government coalition, Crin Antonescu, 65, and the centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, 55, on the anticorruption program. It was the latter who finally qualified for the second round of May 18, after a tight duel for second place (20.99 % against 20.38 %).
George Simion’s score confirms, and even strengthens Calin Georgescu’s surprise breakthrough during a “first” first round of the election, November 24, 2024. Virtually unknown, this 62 -year -old man, accused of proximity to Russia, had come first with 22.9 %, notably ahead of Mr. Simion, who had arrived fourth. The Constitutional Court had invalidated the ballot in December 2024, after an operation of massive influence on Tiktok for which the intelligence services suspected the Kremlin. Calin Georgescu was forbidden to appear during the on Sunday election.
“Deep disenchantment”
For the Financial Timesthe “Popular support for Simion, […] whose campaign was supported by Georgescu, is one more sign of the deep disenchantment of Romanian voters towards their traditional political elites who have shared power since the fall of communism ”.
Who is the now the now favorite of the election? Politico Port a portrait of a “Incendiary leader”Who “Proudly wears red baseball caps with an effigy [du président américain] Donald Trump”. According to the information site, “Many political positions of the AUR correspond to those of the Maga movement [Make America Great Again] of Trump, social conservatism – he presents himself as Pro Prohibition and ProFamille – to stop military aid to Ukraine ”. George Simion is also forbidden to stay by kyiv due to “Systematic anti-Ukrainian activity”. Another candidate’s reference, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: he thus called for the “Melonisation” of Europe.
-Faced with him, the mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, spent part of the evening in uncertainty, elbow shoulder with crin Antonescu, who was the favorite to face George Simion. In a statement at the start of the evening, he spoke of a “New start” and called “All pro-Western forces at [le] sustain”tells the webzine Spotmedia.rowhile they divided during the campaign of the first round.
Calin Georgescu Premier Minister
For the editor -in -chief of Spotmedia.roÉmilian Isila, it is “Fear of extremism and opposition to [premier ministre] Marcel ciolacu [qui] fired Nicușor Dan to the second round ”car “Voting for Nicusor Dan also meant to vote against the current government”. An analysis shared by the sociologist Gelu Dominica, quoted by the newspaper truth : “This is Ciolacu’s great defeat, even if he didn’t show up.” Like other Romanian analysts, the researcher tries to reassure himself, and doubts the chances of George Simion, due to a lack of reserve of voice. “Many undecided have decided not to vote in this turn. They will do it in the second round and will vote, to a large extent, against Simion”he assures.
The Financial Times is more worried, and believes that“With the Simion election, the relative political stability of recent years in Romania could be called into question”, recalling that “Simion, a pro-Trump right populist, told the FT On Sunday if he was elected president, he would try to return Georgescu to a position of responsibility ” : “In a democracy, it is the people who decide. As president, I can change the members of the Constitutional Court, the members of the intelligence services …”assured the far -right candidate, who plans to appoint Calin Georgescu to the post of Prime Minister.
