The Romanians will try again today to elect a new president, six months after the first attempt ended in scandal and chaos.
Calin Georgescu, a radical outsider with mystical tendencies, first came on November 24th, but the results were voided to allegations of campaign fraud and Russian interference.
In February, US Vice President JD Vance keenly criticised Romania for the decision, sending a shockwave through Romania’s political establishment, which is heavily leaning towards special ties with the United States. Nevertheless, Georgek was banned from taking part in today’s rerun.
The election pits nationalist George Simion, the leader of the Romanian Union Union (AUR) alliance against the three centralists. Crin Antonescu, a liberal representative of social democracy and the freedom coalition of the people. Elena Rasconi, independent.
Seven other candidates are on the ballot. If a candidate has not won more than 50% of the vote, a spill between the first two candidates will take place on May 18th.
“This election is not about one candidate, it’s about all Romanians who have been lying, ignored, humiliated, and have the power to believe and defend our identity and rights,” Simion posted on X on Friday.
Opinion polls – famously unreliable in Romania – suggesting he will come first today, then run away and face a tough contest with either Nixon Dan or Clin Antonescu.
As a result, there are nervous waiting in European capitals, Washington, Kiev and Moscow. Romania is an important transport route for weapons systems and ammunition to Ukraine. The country has a US missile defense shield in Deveselu, with NATO flying an air policing mission to the Ukraine-Moldova border, and three main air conditioning across the Black Sea.
Ukraine exports 70% of its grain down the coast of Blacksea and via Romanian territorial waters to Istanbul. The Romanian Navy closes those bodies of water, and the Romanian Air Force trains Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s. The Trump administration is reassessing its commitment to Romania. The Visa-Waiver contract was suddenly cancelled the eve of the election.
“If Simion becomes president, forget about helping Ukraine,” says George Schootal, a security expert at Bucharest’s new Strategy Centre. As head of the National Security Council, the President can reject any decision, which has a strong impact on security policy. However, Scutaru expresses “cautious optimism” that one of the centricists will win the spill.
Public responsibilities for Romania’s financial support for Ukrainian refugees, denies him being a pro-Russian, but was a central plank in Simion’s campaign.
On May afternoons, baking flocks to the gardens of the Palace of Cotroceni, the presidential residence west of Bucharest. Interim President Illy Borojang’s decision to open the buildings and gardens to the public has been extremely popular among visitors.
White and purple iris line the paths below the chestnuts of ancient horses in perfect flower. The military band marches between the flower beds of pansies and violets. The palace was a former monastery, converted in the 17th century and became the home of Romanian royals in the 19th century.
“I can’t really imagine Simion here…” Satireist Ionat tells me, looking up at the walls of the palace beside the ornate waterfall. He voted for Simion in the first round of the election last November. This was angered at the constant delay over Romania’s full membership in Schengen’s free travel zone. Frustration with Romania’s resignation president, Klaus Iohanis.
However, Romania eventually joined Schengen’s land boundary on January 1st, and Iohanis came aside the same month. “Romanians aren’t that angry right now,” he believes. He told his daughter he would vote for Nixon Dunn in this election, but he has not fully made up his decision.
Management consultant Anna also supports Nixondan as she walks with her family through Palace Garden. “I want to vote for both continuity and change,” she says. “The continuity in Romania’s relationship with Europe, but as far as corruption is concerned, it will change. Our young people have no connection to any more old political parties” – what Nixondan has in common with Simion.
Many of Romania’s large diaspora (with one million people voting) have already voted, especially in Spain, Italy, Germany and the UK. They are invisible in the polls and can easily shake up the final result.
