Romanians vote in presidential test of Trump-style nationalism

BUCHAREST – Romanians voted on May 4 in the first round of a presidential election that could propel hard-right eurosceptic George Simion to power in a ballot that will test the rise of Donald Trump-style nationalism in the European Union (EU).

Mr Simion, 38, opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with the US President’s Make America Great Again (Maga) movement.

Five months after a first attempt to hold the election was cancelled after the first round because of alleged Russian interference in favour of far-right front runner Calin Georgescu, since banned from standing again, his heir apparent, Mr Simion, leads opinion polls, riding a wave of popular anger.

About 1.98 million Romanians, or 11 per cent of registered voters, had cast ballots by 7.10am GMT (3.10pm Singapore time), data showed.

Voting will end at 9pm local time with exit polls to follow immediately, and preliminary results expected later in the evening.

Mr Simion voted alongside Mr Georgescu, who called the election a “fraud” and urged people to take their country back. As dozens of people thronged outside the voting station chanting “Calin for president”, Mr Simion said his vote is “to restore democracy”.

Mr Simion is polling at around 30 per cent, a comfortable lead but well short of the 50 per cent he needs to avoid a run-off on May 18.

“George Simion equals Calin Georgescu, he gets my vote,” said Ms Aurelia, 66, a pensioner who declined to give her last name. She added that she felt “humiliated” by the

cancellation of November’s first round

.

“Everything is lacking here. My children are not here: Did they leave to work abroad because things were so good here?”

Political analysts said an ultimate victory for Mr Simion could isolate the country, erode private investment and destabilise Nato’s eastern flank, where Ukraine is fighting a three-year-old Russian invasion.

Mr Simion’s main rivals are two centrists – former senator Crin Antonescu, 65, backed by the three parties in the current pro-Western government, and Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, 55, running as an independent on an anti-corruption platform.

Both are pro-EU and pro-Nato and back Ukraine. Mr Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has turned conservative nationalist, is ranked fourth but could prove a dark horse.

Mr Simion is not the only Maga-style politician seeking election in central Europe. Ms Karol Nawrocki, backed by Poland’s main nationalist opposition party in a presidential election on May 18, met Mr Trump recently.

If elected, they would expand a cohort of eurosceptic leaders, including the Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers.

“Romania and Poland are two important countries for the United States,” Mr Simion told Reuters on May 2.

“We represent partners and we represent allies, both military and politically, to the current (US) administration. This is why it is important for Maga presidents to be in charge in Bucharest and Warsaw.”

Romania’s president has a semi-executive role that includes commanding the armed forces and chairing the security council that decides on military aid.

To date, Romania has donated a Patriot air defence battery to Kyiv, is training Ukrainian fighter pilots and has enabled the export of some 30 million metric tonnes of Ukrainian grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta since Russia’s invasion.

The country’s president can also veto important EU votes and appoints the prime minister, chief judges, prosecutors and secret service heads.

The Trump administration has accused Romania of suppressing political opposition and lacking democratic values after November’s election was cancelled on what Vice-President J.D. Vance called “flimsy evidence”.

A team of US observers were in Bucharest for the vote on May 4 alongside diplomats and monitors from dozens of countries.

“There is clear evidence that there was some sort of nefarious activity going on in the November election,” Mr James E. Trainor III, commissioner of the US Federal Election Commission, told Reuters in Bucharest.

“Time is going to prove that... it was a good decision (to cancel). I know it’s an extreme step, but... what we see is that Romanian democracy is actually stronger because (it) had this bump in the road, but yet was resilient enough of a democracy to make its way through it.” REUTERS