Nationalist candidate achieves shock result in Romanian election

Calin Georgescu – who opposes arming and funding Ukraine – surges to surprising lead, stunning mainstream candidates in the presidential vote 

Romanian nationalist Calin Georgescu has surprised observers by likely topping the first round of the country’s presidential election, according to provisional results.

With more than 80 percent of ballots counted, in the early hours of Monday Georgescu, who has gained traction for his anti-Ukraine war stance, holds 22.1 percent of the vote, narrowly ahead of sitting Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who follows with just over 22 percent.

Georgescu, an ultra-religious and nationalist figure, has campaigned on reducing Romania’s reliance on imports and boosting domestic food and energy production. He has been a vocal critic of Bucharest’s role in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, arguing that NATO and the EU do not represent Romanian interests and suggesting that the war is being manipulated by American military companies.

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The shock result has upended expectations, as Elena Lasconi – billed as a ‘reformer’ – was initially predicted to make it into the runoff, but now trails at 15.3 percent. Far-right candidate George Simion, also considered a strong contender, lags behind with 14.8 percent support. 

The final composition of the runoff is still uncertain as further ballots are counted.

Georgescu’s views have struck a chord with a significant portion of the electorate, but have also drawn heavy criticism, particularly for his past support of Romania’s 20th-century fascist Legionary Movement.

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A relative political outsider, he has leveraged social media platforms like TikTok to rally voters, capitalizing on dissatisfaction with the political establishment. He has garnered a sizable following, particularly among those disillusioned with the current government’s foreign policy.

Voter turnout for the election was 52.5 percent, slightly higher than in the 2019 presidential race. The second round of voting is scheduled for December 8, following Romania’s parliamentary elections next Sunday.