Romania, anti-NATO pro-Russian Georgescu wins first round
Ballot with Elena Lasconi, leader of a centre-right party. Surprisingly defeated Ciolacu, the social-democratic incumbent premier
2' min read
2' min read
A surprise result that upsets the balance of domestic politics in Bucharest and inevitably also those of European foreign policy. Romania's presidential elections were won in the first round by the pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu. A result that political analysts read as a slight distancing of Romania from the EU and a rapprochement with Russia.
Second place in Sunday's vote went to Elena Lasconi, the leader of a centre-right party (Usr, Union Save Romania), while social-democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, given as the favourite on the eve of the elections and overtaken right in the home straight by the Usr representative by a few hundred votes, remained out of the running. These are the results: the latest official data released by the electoral commission gives Georgescu 22.95% of the consensus, Lasconi 19.17% and Ciolacu 19.15%.
The local media speak of an authentic political tsunami: no one would have imagined that the right-wing extremist Georgescu, on pro-Russian and anti-NATO positions, at his first political experience, could have won and entered the ballot. After a slow start that had already surprised political pundits, Georgescu routed his opponents, picking up many votes even among Romanians in the diaspora.
Georgescu is an engineer and university professor, extremely religious and a nationalist: he has attracted heavy criticism for his comments supporting the Romanian fascist movement in the early part of the 20th century. He is known for his positions of support for Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and believes that the European Union and NATO do not adequately represent Romania's interests. Not only that, he openly claims that the war in Ukraine is conditioned by US military companies. His campaign focused on the need to reduce Romania's dependence on imports, support farmers and increase domestic food and energy production.
Sunday's was the first of three votes that will take place in the coming weeks: the parliamentary elections will take place on 1 December and the presidential runoff is scheduled for 8 December.
