Romania: Ultranationalist Calin Georgescu has emerged as the frontrunner in the Romanian presidential election, securing 22% of the vote with 96% of ballots counted. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, a pro-European Social Democrat, trails closely with 20%, according to preliminary figures from the Central Electoral Bureau.
Georgescu’s unexpected rise, forced by a grassroots campaign heavily reliant on TikTok, has upended earlier exit polls that had projected Ciolacu as the clear leader and centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi as his likely challenger. Lasconi currently holds third place with 18%, while nationalist George Simion is in fourth.
The result positions Georgescu, who ran independently and advocates for Romania’s sovereignty, against Ciolacu in a decisive run-off on 8 December. This development presents a stark choice for voters: backing Ciolacu to maintain Romania’s pro-European and NATO-aligned policies or shifting to Georgescu, who opposes EU and NATO influence and has criticised Romania’s support for Ukraine and the NATO missile shield in Deveselu.
Georgescu’s rise also recollects growing frustration over the soaring cost of living, with Romania leading the EU in poverty risk. His populist stance has resonated in a country where 51% voter turnout reflected the participation rate of the last election. The final results of the first round of Romanian presidential election, including votes from Bucharest and the Romanian diaspora, are expected later.
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