Keystone-SDA
After the surge of the far right and the surprise qualification of a pro-Russian candidate in the second round of the presidential election, Romania is preparing for high-risk legislative elections on Sunday.
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November 25, 2024 – 5.32pm
(Keystone-ATS) This Eastern European country neighboring Ukraine, a member of the EU and NATO, had until now resisted nationalist positions, distancing itself from Hungary or Slovakia.
But in one spectacular night he lost his bearings, ejecting the poll favorite, pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, from the race. The social democratic leader, who is leaving the head of the party, admitted his defeat on Monday and “will not contest” the results.
After counting all the ballots, he placed third with 19.15% of the votes, just behind Elena Lasconi, 52, centrist mayor of a small town (19.18%).
“For peace”
On December 8, Ms. Lasconi will face the surprise guest of this second round, Calin Georgescu (22.94%), a slayer of NATO who has in the past confided his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This impeccably dressed 62-year-old anti-vax technocrat created a surprise after a campaign on TikTok that went viral in recent days, focused on the need to stop all support for kyiv. “Tonight, the Romanian people cried out for peace. And he shouted very loudly, extremely loudly,” he reacted on Sunday evening.
He was to speak on his YouTube channel at 6:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. Swiss time) from his home, due to lack of headquarters, his teams explained.
Another far-right candidate was expected in the second round: George Simion, leader of the AUR party (Alliance for the Unity of Romanians). The 38-year-old manager ultimately has to settle for 4th place, at 13.87%. He congratulated his opponent, rejoicing that a “sovereignist” found himself in the second round.
More than a third of the votes for the far right
With these two candidates, the far right won more than a third of the votes. “She is by far the big winner of this election,” summarizes political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu.
With these good scores, it should benefit from “a contagion effect” in the legislative elections on December 1, he predicts. Which bodes difficult negotiations to form a coalition.
Anti-system parties “have the wind in their sails. It remains to be seen whether they will succeed in riding the wave,” commented sociologist Gelu Duminica.
Debacle of traditional parties
On the other hand, on the side of the traditional parties, “it’s a debacle,” he adds. The Social Democrats, heirs of the former communist party which has structured the country’s political life for more than three decades, were eliminated in the first round for the first time since the fall of communism in 1989.
As for the PNL liberals with whom they currently govern, their candidate Nicolae Ciuca, retired general and former Prime Minister, has been defeated and is also withdrawing from the presidency of his party.
Fed up
According to analysts, Romanians have expressed their fed up in a tense social and geopolitical climate.
Inflation has reached peaks in recent years and fears of an export of the Ukrainian conflict are strong in this country which has become strategic for the eastern flank of NATO, where drone debris is regularly found.
Seduced by her TikTok videos
In the streets of Bucharest, disbelief reigned in the cold winter weather. And for some, a happy surprise.
Maria Chis, a 70-year-old retiree, says she was seduced by the winner’s TikTok videos, where he explained his position on Ukraine and his promise of “peace”. “No more kowtowing to the West, make way for more pride and dignity,” she says.
Others, like Alex Tudose, owner of a construction company, speak of “sadness and disappointment” in the face of these results, fueled according to him by “disinformation”.
Tenacious macho prejudices
As for the second round, he fears that “the Romanians are not ready to elect a woman”, Ms. Lasconi, to block the far right, in this country where macho prejudices remain tenacious.
