Romanians started voting on Sunday 1is December, to elect their Parliament, with, at stake, a possible victory for the extreme right and a strategic shift of this neighboring state of Ukraine, member of the European Union and NATO.
In a few days, the Eastern European country has seen a succession of twists and turns, from the surprise arrival in the lead in the first round of the presidential election of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu to accusations from the authorities regarding the integrity of the elections. They questioned Russian influence in the current regional context and the role of the TikTok platform. To the point that the Constitutional Council ordered a new count, still in progress.
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On this national holiday in Romania, polling stations will be open until 9 p.m. (8 p.m. in France). Exit polls will be released shortly thereafter.
After three decades of political life structured by two major parties, analysts predict a fragmented hemicycle and difficult negotiations to form a government. The far right, scattered between several parties which have in common opposition to support for kyiv, is credited with more than 30% of voting intentions.
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“Existential” choice
Since the fall of communism in 1989, Romania has never experienced such a breakthrough, but the anger of the 19 million inhabitants simmers at the economic difficulties and the war on the other side of the border.
Several parties from this political side are present: the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), whose candidate, George Simion, received nearly 14% in the presidential election, but also SOS Romania, led by the tempestuous favorable candidate in the Kremlin, Diana Sosoaca. A new party, the Youth Party (POT), appeared after the Georgescu surprise, which he supports, and could cross the 5% threshold necessary to enter Parliament.
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In the opposing pro-European camp, the centrists of the Save Romania Union (USR) hope to do well after the second place won in the presidential election by their leader, Elena Lasconi.
Big losers last Sunday, the social democrats and liberals, in power in a coalition, are highlighting their ” experience “ to try to limit damage. In a final appeal, the outgoing pro-European president, Klaus Iohannis, described the elections as “crucial for Romania’s leadership in the years to come”. Stay “a country of freedom”, “a modern European nation” or “sinking into harmful isolation and reconnecting with a dark past”voilà “the existential choice we face”at-il having you.
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Distrust of institutions
The decision of the Constitutional Court to recount the ballots from the first round of the presidential election has caused concern in Bucharest.
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For Septimius Parvu, coordinator of the Expert Forum (EFOR) think tank, there is no doubt that this decision “undermines confidence” in institutions and is likely to “feed” the far-right vote.
The United States even interfered in the debate, hoping that no decision between the two rounds would come “endanger the credibility of the electoral process” et “tarnish” the “Romania’s solid reputation as a reliable democratic partner”according to a statement from its ambassador in Bucharest, Kathleen Kavalec.
