Today at 16:10
According to Romania’s Central Election Commission, ultra-nationalist candidate Călin Georgescu has emerged as the frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, followed by current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
The election, held on Sunday, November 24, defied expectations. Pre-election polls by INSCOP predicted a likely runoff between leftist Ciolacu and far-right AUR party leader George Simion. Instead, Georgescu, known for his strong religious and nationalist stance, took the lead.
Pro-Western liberal Elena Lasconi, leader of the “Save Romania Union” (USR) party, is narrowly trailing Ciolacu for second place. Lasconi’s platform supports Ukraine and aligns with Western values, presenting a potential geopolitical showdown if she advances to the second round against Georgescu.
Current Results (99.65% of votes counted):
- Călin Georgescu: 22.86%
- Marcel Ciolacu: 19.22%
- Elena Lasconi: 19.13%
- George Simion: 13.87%
- Nicolae Ciucă: 8.81%
- Mircea Geoană: 6.32%
Candidate Profiles:
- Călin Georgescu ran on a platform of reducing Romania’s reliance on imports, promoting local farmers, and increasing domestic food and energy production. He is highly critical of NATO and the EU, claiming they fail to represent Romanian interests, and has controversially stated that the war in Ukraine is manipulated by U.S. military corporations. Georgescu also faced backlash for past comments supporting Romania’s 20th-century fascist Legionnaire movement.
- Elena Lasconi represents a pro-Western, pro-European vision for Romania. Should she advance, analysts believe she could unify anti-Georgescu voters and pose a strong challenge in the second round.
Former Prime Minister Ludovic Orban, who withdrew his candidacy, has endorsed Lasconi, urging his supporters to rally behind her.
Additional Context:
- Over 100,000 Romanian citizens abroad participated in early voting, which began Friday.
- Incumbent President Klaus Iohannis, barred from running after two terms, leaves a political vacuum as Romania prepares for a decisive runoff on December 8.
