For the second time in six months, Romanians are heading to the polls this Sunday for the first round of presidential elections after the initial results were annulled due to suspicions of Russian interference.
On 24 November, the unexpected victor of the original first round was Calin Georgescu, an unknown right-wing nationalist, in this EU and NATO member country. However, the Constitutional Court ruled the process void just before the second round, suspecting unlawful Russian influence through TikTok, which purportedly boosted the 62-year-old Georgescu, known for critiquing the EU, NATO, and support for Ukraine.
The rescheduled first round is set for 4 May, excluding Georgescu from the race.
The coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) has nominated 65-year-old Crin Antonescu, who currently garners 22% in the polls.
The leading candidate in the polls is 38-year-old George Simion, an ultra-right politician and leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). Following Georgescu’s disqualification, he has become the most popular far-right candidate, polling at 29%.
Furthermore, Nicusor Dan, the politically independent mayor of Bucharest, has entered the race. The 55-year-old appeals to pro-European voters unswayed by the established parties or far-right ideologies, holding 20% in the polls.
Also running is 52-year-old Victor Ponta, a former prime minister who leads PRO Romania, a breakaway faction of PSD. His stance is ultranationalist, but he remains committed to keeping the country in NATO and the EU. Elena Lasconi, a conservative-liberal who came second to Georgescu in the annulled first round, is polling at 8%.
In total, there are 11 presidential candidates. Unless one receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round, the two highest-scoring candidates will proceed to a second round on 18 May.
The Romanian president serves a five-year term and wields significant authority over foreign policy, national security, defence spending, and judicial appointments, while also representing Romania on the international stage.
