Elections: Refreshment in Romania – right -wing populist is a favorite

For moderate politicians and voters, the outcome of the Romanian presidential election was a shock last year. Completely surprisingly, the right -wing extremist candidate and Kreml friend Calin Georgescu emerged as the winner – then the first round of the election was canceled due to irregularities. Now the vote is repeated. Important questions and answers about the choice, your history and the prospects for the EU and NATO country:

Why was the first round of the election canceled last year?

In this election, the right -wing extremist Georgescu had come to first place. No opinion research institute had expected this, not even the post-election surveys on the election day suggested the result. Georgescu had advertised almost exclusively on the Tikok platform and then claimed to have spent “zero” money for it.

Without name names, Romania’s constitutional court found that there had been legal violations in the entire election process. The election campaign and its financing were non -transparent. Online election campaign material was not identified as such. As a result, the equal opportunities of the candidates and the rights of citizens to correct information had been impaired. The public prosecutor’s office is now also investigating this.

The constitutional court later banned a new presidential candidacy Georgescus. Among other things, the electoral office had justified its decision that Georgescu did not recognize basic democratic values.

Has Georgescu disappeared from Romania’s politics?

No. And that is due to the candidate, who now has the best prospects for success when repetition: right -wing populist George Simion. He advertises with sympathy for Georgescu and has declared that Georgescu will have “justice” in the event of his election.

Simion did not rule out Georgescu to the office of prime minister. In the past few months, Simion and his supporters have always asked that the cancellation of the election of the past year should be reversed so that Georgescu could compete.

The President determines the guidelines of foreign and security policy in Romania, is the commander-in-chief of the army and involved in the control of the secret services.

So is Simion a Russia friend too?

In the EU Parliament, his party Aur belongs to the Russian-critical faction of the European Conservatives and Reformers (EKR), in which the ultra-right party of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is also represented. Against this background, Simion moderated his former more generally more radical tone last year.

According to observers, this moderation now sees as a mistake because he had done poorly in the 2024 presidential election. Georgescus Success even surprised Simion and Aur.

What else does his party stand for?

Aur stands for an ultra nationalist, anti-liberal, authoritarian, pro-clerical policy. Russia is a source of inspiration.

Representatives of Aur and the smaller parties SOS Romania and Pot, which are also represented in parliament, repeatedly expressed their sympathy for the Romanian fascists from the first half of the 20th century, known as “legionnaires”. Pot in particular represents the young, educated, professionally successful Romanians and mentions support for Georgescu as the most important program item.

Why are the radical rights strengthened in Romania?

Simion’s party Aur was founded in 2019 and, thanks to massive propaganda, strengthened against the Corona protection measures, with the support of numerous dignitaries of the Romanian Orthodox Church, to which more than 80 percent of the Romanians are committed. Already in December 2020 she moved into parliament.

How did Georgescu impress his followers?

Georgescu, which is hardly known until autumn 2024, has offered a mixture of extreme nationalism, fascism, esotericism and eco -thoughts – that is, for a wide -ranging audience. So far, however, he has not been a folk tribun to full halls or stadiums, but he felt visibly uncomfortable in direct contact with crowds. He spoke mainly online from his living room or at most in Studios by video.

This tactic also seems to have recently copied Simion. He remained demonstratively far from the last three large TV debates with the presidential candidates in democratically aligned channels with great reach – with the argument that such appearances were only entitled to Georgescu. Instead, Simion sent personalized letters to millions of pensioners.

Georgescu himself gave no information on which presidential candidate he supports.

Who are Simion’s most important opposite candidates?

The first ballot should not bring an absolute majority for any candidate, so that the decision should be made in a runoff election on May 18.

Crin Antonescu, who was President of the National Liberal Party (PNL) from 2009 to 2014, could come into the runoff election with Simion. He competes as a candidate for the PNL and the Social Democratic PSD, which rule together in Bucharest. PNL belongs to the European umbrella organization EVP, like the German Union parties. Antonescu was a decisive opponent of the anti-corruption course of former President Traian Basescu (2004-2014), sometimes represents right-wing populist positions and has sympathies for US President Donald Trump. He is blamed that he has lived in Brussels in Brussels in Brussels without professional or political activity with his wife, the former EU commissioner Adina Valean.

The independent mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, also has opportunities. He was the founder of the green-conservative party USR, but found out of non-heterosexual life forms because of their too liberal attitude. It was criticized that one of his advisors had Russia -friendly attitudes – Dan distanced himself from these positions.

A final round with the non -partisan Victor Ponta, chairman of the Social Democrats from 2010 to 2015. Ponta praises good relationships with Trump and is politically unpredictable.