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Romanian Presidential Elections| A Trump-Style Nationalist Challenge To The EU| N18G

Romania's presidential election began with the first round on Sunday, where hard-right eurosceptic George Simion emerged as a leading candidate. Simion, 38, opposes military aid to Ukraine and is critical of the EU, aligning himself with Donald Trump’s "Make America Great Again" movement. Leading in the polls with around 30%, Simion still needs over 50% to avoid a run-off on May 18. The election follows the cancellation of a previous attempt in November, which was marred by alleged Russian interference in favor of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, now banned from running. Simion’s main rivals are two centrists—Crin Antonescu, backed by the current pro-Western government, and independent candidate Nicusor Dan, who supports the EU and NATO. Political analysts warn that a Simion victory could isolate Romania, hurt its economy, and destabilize NATO’s eastern flank, especially amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Eurosceptic nationalism is gaining traction across central Europe.

first published: May 5, 2025 12:01 pm