Romania's pro-European candidate leads to right-wing extremists in elections

Romania's pro-European candidate leads to right-wing extremists in elections

The pro-European presidential candidate Nicușor Dan leads the elections in Romania on Sunday after more than 80 % of the votes have been counted.

election campaign and challenges

The right -wing extremist candidate George Simion, who is against military support for Ukraine and criticizes the EU, first saw himself on the way to the election victory after winning the first round on May 4th. But Dan was able to win ground in a television debate after an overwhelming victory.

The background of the elections

These elections follow only five months after the cancellation of the original result, in which the former right -wing extremist outsiders Călin Georgescu had gained popularity. The cancellation was due to allegations about Russian interference.

Georgescu was later excluded from the new election after various crimes, including the founding of a fascist group, were accused.

a test for Europe's future

The election on Sunday is widely regarded as a decision between East and West and regarded as a test scenario for the rise of trump-like nationalism in Europe.

Nicușor Dan: A supporter of NATO

Dan, who is currently the mayor of the capital Bucharest, is a strong supporter of NATO membership in Romania. He has undertaken to continue the support for Ukraine, which he sees as crucial for his own security against the threat from Russia. He also promised to act against corruption.

The support of Simion

Simion seems to have the support of the Romanian diaspora, which is one of the largest worldwide. Around 60 % of the diaspora voted for Simion in the first round. Since then he has spent a lot of time outside of Romania and visited countries such as Austria, Italy, Poland, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom to gain voters abroad.