The ultra -right, ultra -nationalist and antieuropeistic leader George Simion, 38, has been imposed this Sunday in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections, according to official data with 69% of the votes scrutinized. These elections were the repetition of those celebrated and annulled in November by the alleged Russian interference, in which a populist and extremist candidate also overcame: Calin Georgescu, now worth of simion. The two most voted candidates today must still be measured in a second round on May 18, from which the new president of the country will leave.
With 69.32% scrutinized, Simion obtains 41.29% of the votes; and the candidate of the Proeuropean government coalition, Crin Antonescu, 21.70%. They would be, if nothing changes, those that would go on the second round. In third position is the independent Nicușor Dan, mayor of Bucharest (17.35%). And the former Social Democratic Prime Minister Victor Ponta (14.72%) and Elena Lasconi, who was second in November and now falls to the last position with 2.57%.
The participation at 9:00 p.m., closing time of the polls, reached 53.2% of the census, slightly higher than that registered in November (52.5%). But that of the Romanians who vote from the outside: 973,000 had deposited their ballot at that time, almost 27% more than in November, according to data from the central electoral office.
In those elections five months ago, Calin Georgescu, an independent, ultra -nationalist candidate, who was auged by his viral videos on the Tiktok social network, without being detected by secret services. Given the suspicions that his victory responded to an operation promoted by Russia, the Constitutional Court annulled that first round. He also prohibited Georgescu from appearing again, so he sponsored the candidate of another ultra party, George Simion, of the Alliance for the Union of the Romanians (Aur).
The Romanian political class considers that these are the most crucial elections of the post -communist era, in a country that is part of the EU and NATO and that could bow towards extremist and antieuropeistic populism that advances in the continent. The future president will not yet come from today’s vote – the two more votes will have to be measured in the second round – but a clear victory of simion would be.
“We approach an exceptional result, far beyond what the system televisions show, which knew how to cause divisions, splash with poison and twist everything we said,” said simion in a video broadcast by their social networks after the first surveys were known. “You spread lies. You are the winners. Today the Romanian people spoke. It’s time to be heard, despite obstacles, despite manipulations,” he added.
Simion also suggested that if you arrive at the position of President, the Georgescu policy will apply: “I will certainly remain dedicated to the one who should, by right, occupy the chair of president, the man in whom millions of you have put your hopes. I say here, in front of everyone: I will keep my word. Because Romania needs your wisdom and vision. And because I do not want power for me. I am here for the return to the constitutional order.”
One of the access keys to the second round, according to the forecasts, will depend on the sense of the vote of the Romanians who reside abroad; And among these, there seems to have a considerable increase in participation: 973,000 had voted before 9:00 p.m., compared to 767,000 in November; That is, 26.8% more. The data is, however, difficult to dimension because Romania does not have a fixed voter census abroad. Among the countries in which the most Romanians are mobilizing are Spain (with more than 600,000 registered with that nationality), Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Moldova.
“Postcommunist Romania has never lived such controversial and tense elections because they were annulled in the first round,” said Vlad after voting in a center of the capital. “I have voted because the vote for the future of the country has never told so much, whether proeuropeus or antiue, and really tell: you can change the country’s path,” he continued, without revealing his ballot, this 40 -year -old marketing specialist. And he pointed out: “Many people have opted for the useful vote: they do not choose the pro -European candidate that one likes one but who believes that he will go to the second round with simion.”
“We need a quiet and competent president because the country is immersed in a difficult economic situation,” said Ana, a 46 -year -old economist who mentioned a 9.3% deficit and said to fear a tax rise. “We are in an economic crisis that has been postponed by the elections, but it will come to light because there are big problems,” he said, after stressing that “the ultra -right -wing leader has not debated with anyone, unlike the prooccidental candidates, who have taken their eyes.” “It has been frustrating to see proEuropean politicians who have many points in common to attack in a virulent way. Only only one should have been presented; practically the proEuropean vote has departed in three,” he lamented.
The main contestants approached the electoral schools early in the morning. Simion appeared accompanied by Georgescu, the winner of the November elections. “We are here with a single mission: the return to the constitutional order, to democracy. We have no other objective than that the Romanian people are first (…). We are here with a single desire: to do justice for Romania,” said Simion after depositing the ballot. , Georgescu said in reference to the elections. “A fraud designed by those who have adopted cunning as the only state policy. But I am here to recognize the power of democracy, the power of the vote that scares the system, which terrifies the system,” he said. Both voted.
Antonescu, the candidate for the government coalition, said: “This is a very important day. I’m glad we have a massive presence [de votantes]. It is something extraordinarily important to legitimize elections, for moral force. I have voted for a united, strong and dignified Romania. ”Nicușor Dan, as a mathematical profession and also activist, said he had voted for“ many quiet, honest and workers who nobody has represented until today ”.“ I voted for hope, for a new beginning. Romania is living a difficult time and we cannot expect those who took her to the hole, ”he said.
The cancellation of the first round of the presidential presidential ones by the Constitutional Court, a decision that occurred only two days before the second round and that caused the angry criticisms of Russia and the Government of Donald Trump in the United States, led to the Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, to resign in early February. Inside the liberal Ilie Bolojan was chosen interim. The process is under the magnifying glass of the European Union.
Tiktok, who was in the eye of the hurricane in November because in that network he gained popularity in a brilliant way the ultra -nationalist candidate, said he had eliminated two secret networks that tried to influence political discourse in Romania’s elections. These networks were composed of 87 accounts with more than 33,000 followers.
During the day of this Sunday the hacking of the web pages of the Interior, Justice and Foreign Ministries, claimed by the Russian Noname057 reporting group. The Antonescu candidate’s website was also pirate, which he wrote in his social media profile: “Dark Forces of Extremism deal with the most vile methods of stopping. We do not allow it! We are going to vote!” The National Directorate of Cybersecurity (DNSC) recognized that the hacking of official pages had occurred but assured that they operated normally shortly after.
