Romania newly chooses: Simion leads in a turbulent presidential election!

Romania newly chooses: Simion leads in a turbulent presidential election!

Rumänien - The repetition of the presidential election in Romania has started after the original election was canceled by the constitutional court in November 2024. This was done due to irregularities in the campaign financing of the surprising winner Calin Georgescu. As a result, Georgescu is no longer allowed to compete, and the public prosecutor's office has been investigating him since the end of February. It is expected that in today's election none of the eleven candidates will reach the absolute majority in the first ballot. The runoff election between the two best placed is scheduled for May 18. The polling stations close at 8:00 p.m. (CEST), whereby numerous voters have already given their vote.

George Simion, the 38-year-old head of the right-wing national Aur party, is the clear favorite. According to surveys, he has a good chance of being in the runoff on May 18, although he took fourth place in the original election. At that time, Simion supported Georgescu and plans to produce “justice” for the former candidate in the event of his success. This strategy is of interest, since Simion does not exclude possible support for Georgescu as Prime Minister.

The other candidates in the race

The forecasts for second place in the first ballot are difficult. Possible candidates who compete for this place are Crin Antonescu, who is considered a representative of a social democratic and bourgeois coalition, Nicusor Dan, the conservative-liberal mayor of Bucharest, and Victor Ponta, the former social democratic prime minister. Antonescu is viewed critically as part of a corrupt government coalition, while Dan stands for pro-European reforms and a determined fight against corruption. Dan is considered an authentic candidate, but has deficits in communication and lacks charisma.

The political mood in Romania is tense. The disenchantment with politics is high, reinforced by corona measures and the conflicts within the government coalition of PNL and PSD. According to Transparency International, Romania is one of the most corrupt countries in the European Union. In the midst of this unrest, Victor Ponta appears as an ultra -religious trump player, which makes him a Shadow candidate of the PSD. He could therefore be a serious competitor for the votes of the voters.

Simion itself has a past in the milieu of the football ultras and was involved in violent arguments in parliament. While he describes himself as right -wing populists and rejects liberal values, he emphasizes that he does not want to escape from the EU. Instead, he wants to represent Romanian interests and sees Wladimir Putin an aggressor in the Ukraine conflict, but rejects military support for Ukraine.

Today's choice is a crucial signal for the political future of Romania and could significantly influence the direction of the country for the coming years. The uncertainty about the results and the high tensions in the population make the situation all the more explosive.

For detailed information on the election conditions and the candidates, the analyzes of Tagesspiegel and Tagesschau referred.