In a Romania in complete uncertainty, an uncertainty was lifted on Monday, December 2: the Constitutional Court validated the results of the first round of the presidential election, opening the way to a duel, Sunday, December 8, between a far-right candidate and a centrist mayor, its president, Marian Enache, told the press.
Last week, the Romanian authorities questioned Russian influence and the role of the TikTok platform, which “categorically” denied these allegations.
In this context, the Court, seized of a request to cancel the vote by an unsuccessful candidate, ordered a new count. This one “did not reveal fraud likely to alter the outcome of the elections”according to the judge. The games are very open before the second round.
Suddenly emerging from the shadows, the nationalist candidate with mystical overtones Calin Georgescu is worrying in the west of the continent about the future of this strategic country, neighbor of Ukraine and member of the European Union and NATO.
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Breakthrough of the far right
He will face Elena Lasconi, leader of the centrists (USR). « Merci (…) for having listened to the voice of the Romanians and not having played Russian roulette with democracy”immediately reacted this mayor of a small town.
Between the two rounds of the presidential election, Romanians voted to elect their Parliament on Sunday 1is December, legislative elections which resulted in a fragmented parliament, with a breakthrough by the extreme right. “Romania divided”headlined the daily on Monday truth. And for good reason: although the Social Democratic Party (PSD), heir to the Romanian Communist Party, came first in the poll, they only obtained 22% of the votes, according to the almost complete results. Just behind, the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) party won 18% of the votes cast. It is the first of three parties in the nationalist bloc, which in total bring together nearly 32% of the votes, more than triple the score recorded in 2020 by AUR, then the only one in the running.
Never since the fall of communism in 1989 has the country experienced such a breakthrough, fueled by the anger of a large part of the 19 million inhabitants in the face of economic difficulties, the war on the other side of the border and a traditional political class deemed haughty and disconnected. The next assembly “will be extremely fragmented and without a dominant party”summarizes Marius Ghincea, political scientist at ETH Zurich. “Even the PSD will not be able to govern without two other parties”which suggests “a lot of instability in the short and medium term”.
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Dam attempt
With, alongside AUR, SOS Romania − led by the tempestuous pro-Kremlin candidate Diana Sosoaca − and the brand new Youth Party (POT), both of which are entering Parliament, the far right “is the largest block”underlines Sergiu Miscoiu, professor of political science at Babes-Bolyai University located in Cluj-Napoca. The parties are united around their opposition to support for Ukraine in the name of ” peace “ and the promise to defend “Christian values”. But they are “divided internally”recalls Mr. Ghincea, and do not have enough weight between the three of them to form an absolute majority.
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To block them, several political leaders have launched calls for a “government of national unity” resolutely pro-European. But everything will depend on “who will be the new head of state, because he will have control over the appointment of the prime minister”notes Sergiu Miscoiu, evoking his key role, knowing that the PSD has not given voting instructions. The President of the Republic of Romania occupies an essentially ceremonial function, but exercises significant moral authority and influence in foreign policy.
The success of Calin Georgescu, a 62-year-old anti-vaxxer and admirer of Vladimir Putin, sparked demonstrations, particularly among young Romanians. “In the current climate, I don’t think we can afford not to vote, especially given the extremist wave that has swept us away”Judge Ilinca, 22 years old.
Some voters still hope for a return to calm, like Doina, 71 years old. The retiree sees in the election “a divine sign telling us to stop quarreling, to become more united, more rational and well-intentioned”.
