Le presidential elections in Romania they have reserved unexpected surprises, denying the predictions of the eve. With 99% of the votes counted, the independent candidate Calin Georgescu, known for its nationalist and eurosceptic positions, took the lead with 22,94% of the votes. Next up was another surprise, Elena Lasconi of the progressive party Save Romania Union (USR), which obtained 19,16%, placing itself in second place.
The defeat of the outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is sensational, given as the favorite but also excluded from the ballot, finishing in third place with 19,16% of the votes. Another big loser was George Simion, leader of the sovereignist party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (Aur), which stopped in fourth place with 13,9% of the votes, disappointing the expectations of the ultra-conservative front. Simion, in fact, was seen as rising strongly in the pre-vote polls and was considered one of Ciolacu's main contenders. Thevoter turnout it barely exceeded 53%.
Il final ballot, scheduled for December 8, will therefore see Georgescu confronts Lasconi. Before that date, however, other elections are scheduled with the parliamentary ones scheduled for December 1st.
Calin Georgescu: The Nationalist Who Shakes Europe
Calin Georgescu, an engineer and academic known for his nationalist and eurosceptic positions, surprised all the polls by coming in first place. His electoral campaign was based on issues such as economic self-sufficiency, reducing dependence on imports and stopping military aid to Ukraine. Georgescu also exploited skepticism towards the European Union and NATO, attracting the discontent of an electorate tired of traditional politics.
Despite criticism for his controversial positions, among which accusations of anti-Semitism and sympathy for the Romanian fascist movement of the twentieth century, Georgescu was able to attract the attention of young people through a viral campaign on social media, especially on TikTok: “Tonight the Romanian people shouted for peace. And they shouted very loudly, very loudly,” he said after the results.
Elena Lasconi: The Progressive Challenger
In the second round of voting on December 8, Georgescu will challenge Elena Lasconi, a centre-right mayor of a small town, who surprisingly came in second place, with a margin of about 700 votes on Ciolacu. Its rise, unexpected for many analysts, has highlighted a electoral program focused on social and economic reforms, countering Georgescu's nationalist rhetoric and representing moderate change.
Disappointment for Prime Minister Ciolacu, which, despite was credited with approximately 25% of votes in the polls, did not reach the runoff. George Simion also disappointed, initially given second place with 19%, who finished out of the race.
Regardless of the final outcome, “l'the far right is by far the big winner of this election“, the political scientist observed Christian Pirvulescu, highlighting the presence of two far-right candidates out of four.
Romania: Strategic Country for NATO
Romania, with approximately 19 million inhabitants, is a semi-presidential republic in which the president, a politically active figure, appoints the prime minister and represents the country abroad. Over the past ten years, the position has been held by Klaus Iohannis of the National Liberal Party (PNL), which is in favor of supporting Ukraine. Currently, the government is a coalition between the PNL and Ciolacu's Social Democratic Party, born in 2021 after a political crisis.
With a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, Romania plays astrategic importance for NATO, hosting over 5.000 soldiers and serving as a Ukrainian grain transit hub.
The campaign for this election has focused on the rising cost of living, with the country having the highest percentage of inhabitants at risk of poverty in the European Union.
Georgescu's victory could mark a the country's approach to the European far-right bloc, strengthening the position of leaders like Viktor Orbán. On the contrary, a Lasconi's success would consolidate a path of integration with the European Union, maintaining Romania as a stable partner of the Atlantic Alliance.