What's happened
Calin Georgescu leads Romania's presidential election with 22.95% of the vote, followed by Elena Lasconi at 19.17%. The runoff on December 8 marks a significant shift in Romanian politics, with the Social Democratic Party not advancing for the first time in 35 years. Voter turnout was approximately 52.5%.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Calin Georgescu's unexpected lead with 22.95% of the vote has shocked Romania's political establishment, marking a significant shift in the electoral landscape. The New York Times highlights Georgescu's controversial views, including his criticism of NATO and the EU, which may resonate with voters feeling disconnected from mainstream politics. The Guardian notes that this election reflects a broader protest against established parties, with political consultant Cristian Andrei stating that 'the mainstream political parties have lost the connection with regular Romanians.' This sentiment is echoed across various sources, indicating a potential realignment in Romanian politics.
How we got here
The first round of Romania's presidential election took place on November 24, 2024, with 13 candidates. The election is pivotal as it coincides with parliamentary elections on December 1, which will shape the future government.
More on these topics
-
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It shares land borders with Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, and Moldova to the east and has its opening
-
Ion-Marcel Ciolacu is a Romanian politician and the leader of the Social Democratic Party, currently the main opposition party.
-
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast.
-
The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
-
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.
-
George Nicolae Simion is a Romanian right-wing politician, civic activist, and writer. Together with Claudiu Târziu, he is the co-president of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, a political party in Romania that gained popularity after its unexpect
-
The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania founded by Ion Iliescu, Romania's first democratically elected president.
-
Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The capital city is Chișinău.
-
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
-
The Save Romania Union is a liberal and progressive political party in Romania, currently the third largest party both in the Parliament and locally at nationwide level.