Ciolacu leads after the first round of the Romanian presidential election

Ciolacu leads after the first round of the Romanian presidential election

Last Sunday, Romania's Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu won the first round of presidential elections. Initial voter surveys published after the polls closed show that Ciolacu received around 25 percent of the vote. The leader of the reform party USR, Elena Lasconi, could move into second place. At around 18 percent, she is just ahead of two right-wing populist candidates who are vying for voters' favor. However, it is important to note that the voice of Romanians living abroad is not taken into account in these surveys, which could lead to possible discrepancies between forecasts and actual results.

A total of 13 candidates ran, including the conservative former Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, who only received between 13 and 14 percent of the vote. According to the surveys, clear fluctuations are to be expected in the area of ​​right-wing populist politicians, as this was between 14 and 16 percent. While Ciolacu appears to be the clear favorite, the gap to the other candidates could be narrower in the final count.

The aspiring reform politician Lasconi

Elena Lasconi is also in the headlines because reaching the runoff would mean a significant confirmation of her political career. The 52-year-old, who was elected leader of the USR via the local mayor's office in Campulung Muscel, only became a presidential candidate when other experienced politicians in her party resigned. Her previous job as a TV journalist could give her an additional advantage, as Romanian voters traditionally prefer a citizen head of state. Interestingly, over the last twenty years, all Social Democrats (PSD) have reached the runoff elections, but have always lost to candidates from the bourgeois camp.

Should Lasconi make it to the final round, she would have the opportunity to assert herself against her main rival, the right-wing populist Simion. This could be supported by general voter sympathy for a bourgeois stance, where strategic voting decisions play an important role.

The challenges of the right-wing extremist candidates

Candidate George Simion, a vigorous nationalist, could face possible protests from other political camps. His racist comments and a perceived connection with the Russian secret service FSB led to him being declared undesirable by Ukraine and Moldova in the past. Simion has also made it clear that he is against military aid to Ukraine and is seeking closer cooperation between European nation states.

Polling stations in Romania opened at 06:00 CET on Sunday morning and closed at 20:00 CET. 950 polling stations were set up abroad, including 17 in Austria, spread across cities such as Vienna, Salzburg and Graz. In this semi-presidential republic, the president has significant political powers. He is responsible for foreign and defense policy guidelines and is also the highest commander of the military.

Romania could soon elect a new head of state whose political direction will be of great importance not only for the country but also for the entire region. The upcoming runoff election on December 8th will show whether Ciolacu can continue his path to the presidency or whether a surprise victory for Lasconi or Simion will result in a turning point in the Romanian political climate. Further information on the results and further development can be found here.