The pro-European social democrats came first in the legislative elections on Sunday in Romania but the far right made a strong breakthrough, plunging this neighboring state of Ukraine, a member of the EU and NATO, into uncertainty .
The PSD – which until now governed with the liberals – collected 23.6% of the votes, ahead of the other parties, according to partial results relating to the counting of 60% of the ballots.
However, all far-right forces combined stand at 30%, triple the previous 2020 election.
In an unprecedented sequence, these elections come a week after the surprise success of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu in the first round of the presidential election, a result which aroused fears in the west of the continent about Romania's strategic positioning.
The legislative elections did not make it possible to “clarify” the situation, believes political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu. “We are facing an extraordinarily fragmented Parliament which poses many risks” and portends difficult negotiations to form a government, he told AFP.
If Social Democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, eliminated last Sunday from the presidential race, was pleased with his party's first place, he took note of the nationalist push.
“The Romanians have sent an important signal to the political class,” he reacted: to continue on the European path “but also to protect our identity and our national values.”
– “New era” –
The far right, scattered between several groups which have in common to oppose support for kyiv in the name of “peace” and to defend “Christian values”, welcomed these results.
“Today the Romanian people voted for the sovereignist forces,” declared the leader of the AUR (Alliance for the Unity of Romanians) party, George Simion, who obtained 17.5% of the votes.
“This is the beginning of a new era where Romanians reclaim the right to decide their own destiny,” he added, while the participation rate reached its highest level in two decades (52 %) for legislative elections.
In the same camp, SOS Romania, led by the tempestuous pro-Kremlin candidate Diana Sosoaca, and the brand new Youth Party (POT) each bring together more than 5% and should therefore enter Parliament.
Since the fall of communism in 1989, the country has never experienced such a breakthrough, but the anger of a large part of the 19 million inhabitants simmers at the economic difficulties and the war on the other side of the border.
“This strong rise of the far right, around a third of the electorate, testifies to the frustrations accumulated in society and the economic discontent,” commented analyst Radu Magdin.
However, due to a lack of allies, their accession to power is far from guaranteed.
– Towards a government of national unity? –
Several political leaders have already launched calls for a resolutely pro-European “government of national unity”.
“United, we can do wonders,” said the leader of the USR centrists (nearly 10%), Elena Lasconi, who qualified last week for the second round of the presidential election. “After these nightmarish days,” she called for putting aside party quarrels to defend “democracy” and Romania’s independence from Russia.
Earlier in the day, several voters had expressed their fears that Romania would turn away from the EU, like Dorina Burcea, 41 years old.
“As someone who lived a little under communism and still remembers it, and who was then able to benefit from all the openness of the EU, I cannot imagine any other option than the European Union and NATO,” she confided.
The elections took place in a feverish climate after the court's decision to recount the ballots from the first round of the presidential election amid suspicions about the integrity of the elections.
The authorities have questioned Russian influence in the current regional context and the role of the TikTok platform. To the point that the Constitutional Court ordered a new count and must rule on Monday.
If the vote is not canceled, the second round will take place on December 8.
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