Presidential elections in Romania have begun

Danger from the far right

Presidential elections in Romania have begun

No presidential candidate is likely to achieve an absolute majority straight away. A runoff election will probably be necessary. An extreme right-wing candidate could make it to the final round.

In Romania, almost 19 million eligible voters are called to elect a new head of state. According to polls, the favorite is Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu from the Social Democratic Party (PSD). However, none of the 14 candidates are likely to achieve an absolute majority in the first round, meaning a runoff election will likely be necessary on December 8th. The polling stations close at 8:00 p.m. (CET). The first forecasts are expected late in the evening.

Ciolacu may have to compete in the runoff with George Simion of the far-right AUR party, who some polls put in second place in the first round. Other forecasts predict Elena Lasconi from the liberal-conservative reform party USR or Nicolae Ciuca from the currently co-ruling bourgeois party PNL in second place.

In Romania, the head of state determines foreign and security policy, is commander in chief of the army and is involved in controlling the secret services. The parliamentary election is scheduled for December 1st.

The PSD-friendly Constitutional Court had banned the presidential candidacy of Simion’s strong competitor Diana Sosoaca from the extreme right-wing party SOS Romania. Now there are fears that Sosoaca’s supporters will vote for Simion. AUR was founded in 2019 and became strong primarily through propaganda against Corona measures. She has entered Romania’s parliament and the EU Parliament.