Romanians voted on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could propel hard-right eurosceptic George Simion to power in a ballot that will test the rise of Donald Trump-style nationalism in the European Union. Simion, 38, opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with the US president’s Make America Great Again movement.
Five months after a first attempt to hold the election was cancelled after the first round because of alleged Russian interference in favour of farright frontrunner Calin Georgescu, since banned from standing again, his heir apparent Simion leads opinion polls, riding a wave of popular anger.
About 1.98 million Romanians, or 11% of registered voters, had cast ballots by 0710 GMT, data showed. Voting will end at 9 pm (1800 GMT) with exit polls to follow immediately and preliminary results expected later in the evening.
Simion voted alongside Georgescu, who called the election a “fraud” and urged people to take their country back.
Simion is polling at around 30%, a comfortable lead but well short of the 50% he needs to avoid a run-off on May 18.
“George Simion equals Calin Georgescu, he gets my vote,” said Aurelia, 66, a pensioner. She said she felt “humiliated” by the cancellation of Nov’s first round. “Everything is lacking here. My children are not here: Did they leave to work abroad because things were so good here?”
Political analysts said an ultimate victory for Simion could isolate the country, erode private investment and destabilise Nato’s eastern flank, where Ukraine is fighting a threeyear-old Russian invasion.
Simion’s main rivals are two centrists — former senator Crin Antonescu, 65, backed by the three parties in the current pro-Western govt, and Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, 55, running as an independent on an anti-corruption platform. Both are proEU and pro-Nato and back Ukraine. Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has turned conservative nationalist, is ranked fourth but could prove a dark horse.
Simion is not the only MAGA-style politician seeking election in central Europe. Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate backed by Poland’s main nationalist opposition party in a presidential election on May 18, met Trump this week. If elected, they would expand a cohort of eurosceptic leaders that already includes the Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers.
This is a Reuters’ story
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