Romania celebrates the first round of presidential elections this Sunday with 14 candidates in the running, even if Polls predict that none of them will reach an absolute majority. necessary to obtain the position.
The country, which is one of the poorest in the European Union, is electing its new head of state today amid political debate over whether or not to maintain Ukraine’s military support in its defense of Russia and the advance of the nationalist far right.
In connection with the war on the continent, due to The geopolitical situation of Romaniacitizens of this region they feel particularly vulnerable in the face of aggression and pressure exerted by the Kremlin not only in Ukraine, but also in neighboring Moldova.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the current president of Romania, the liberal Klaus Iohannisdefended unconditional solidarity with the attacked population and maximum humanitarian and military support for kyiv.
The pro-European and leader of the Romanian Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacuwho is also a favorite according to the polls, promised to maintain this line, as well as its strong commitment to the EU and NATO.
“Ukraine was unjustifiably attacked. Fixed and recognized borders have been attacked, which is unacceptable,” the candidate said in statements to The standard collected by Efe.
“We need greater coordination and allocation of resources within the EU and NATO to effectively deter Russia“, adds the politician after highlighting the “very difficult moment in security policy” that his country is facing.
In this very complicated geopolitical context, the new president of Romania must confront these adjacent conflicts to the region, since, in the semi-presidential system of Romania, the president has powers in matters of the country’s foreign policy, mainly representative, and is a mediator between the state powers, as well as between them and the company.
In addition, the leader of the country also plays the role of commander of the armed forces and chairs the Supreme Council of National Defense.
Favorites
According to the latest surveys by the AtlasIntel Institute, Ciolacu (PSD) could win 24.4% of the vote, followed by the far-right candidate Simion (AUR) (15.4%) and the liberal-conservative party. Elena Lasconi (USR) (15.3%).
In case no one gets more than 50% of the votesthe two candidates with the most votes will face each other in a final round next December 8.
Of the 14 candidates, five can aspire to this second round: the three already mentioned, Mircea Geoana, independent candidate who was a minister in the social-democratic government of Adrien Nastase between 2000 and 2004; And Nicolas Ciuca, of the National Liberal Party.
Ciolacu, from prime minister to president?
Marcel Ciolacu, born in 1967, is leading the polls as a candidate for the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Prime Minister since June 2023, his management has been marked by budgetary policies which strengthened popular support at his party.
A trained lawyer and successful businessman in his native region of Buzau, he has chaired the PSD since 2020 and played a key role in the stability of the government coalition with the PNL liberals.
Another reason that could strengthen Ciolacu’s support in the current elections is the promise of integrate Romania into the Shengen area.
In fact, this country and Bulgaria They will most likely be full members of this free movement zone from January 1, 2025, as participants in the meeting of Interior Ministers with Austria and Hungary announced on Friday.
Simion, “the Romanian Orbán”
Another of the most notable personalities of these elections is the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, who became known thanks to his nationalist and eurosceptic discourse. Yesyour active presence on social networks catapulted its popularity from near-unknown status to main opposition force
Simion said Admirer of Donald Trumpwho declared that he would bring peace to Ukraine, and the Hungarian Prime Minister, the ultranationalist Viktor Orbán, to the point of defining himself as the “Orbán Romanian“.
Like Orbán, Simion promised to defend Christian values and attacked the LGTBIQ+ community.
Although he seeks to moderate his image, his past in a group of radical football fans and his continued controversies make him a very polarizing candidate.
When will the results be known?
In this first round of the presidential elections, they are called more than 18 million citizens It is Romanians with the right to vote who will elect who will be their head of state for a period of 5 years.
Votes can be cast at nearly 19,000 polling stations from 6 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (local time), or until the last citizen present before the close of voting. In exceptional cases, the opening of polling stations may be extended until midnight.
Of the 18,008,480 citizens registered on the electoral lists, around 989,000 people vote abroadwho have already started sending out their ballots on November 22.
Citizens will have to choose between 13 candidates who presented themselves to occupy the “Cotroneci headquarters“, as the chair of the head of state is called, whose headquarters is in the palace of the same name.
Even though 14 names will appear on the ballot papers, voters They will only be able to support 13since the right and former prime minister Ludovic Orban He withdrew from the race.
In short, knowing that none of the 14 candidates should obtain the absolute majority necessary for their nomination in the first round, the two most voted this Sunday They will advance to the final round on December 8.
