The News
Romanians voted Sunday in the first round of the country’s presidential election, with high living costs, corruption, and the war in Ukraine top of voters’ minds.
The election’s result could be a milestone for Romania’s growing far-right movement and its leader George Simion, analysts told Reuters. Opinion polls have suggested Simion could face off in a second-round vote against the incumbent center-left Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
Polls suggested Ciolacu and his pro-western alliance will eventually win; However, the government has been accused of failing to tackle widespread corruption and inflation, potentially giving Simion an edge in the second round, which is scheduled for Dec. 8.
Simion, who described his party as “Trumpist,” has praised leaders like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for shifting the European Union to the right, Politico wrote. While the Romanian politician has said he supports NATO, Simion has called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and suggested Kyiv make territorial concessions to Russia.
“What we have seen is… a ‘Melonization’” of Europe, Simion said. “Believe me, there will be a ‘Simionization’ as well.”