According to preliminary results of Romania’s repeat presidential election, right-wing representative George Simion has a significant lead, although not the majority needed to avoid a runoff, Radio Liberty’s Romanian service reported.
According to Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau, after 90.01% of the Votes were counted late in the evening on 4 May, 38-year-old AUR party leader George Simion had 40.13%, or 3,058,892 votes.
Crin Antonescu, a member of the country’s current government coalition, came in second with about 21.15 per cent (1,611,917). Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan received 19.43 per cent (1,480,777).
The official results do not include the diaspora vote, which some experts say includes some 800,000 voters who may also favour Simion.
Exit polls showed similar results, although giving a smaller lead to Simion.
Romania held voting on May 4 for a repeat presidential election after the previous one was cancelled in December amid allegations of Russian meddling.
Eleven candidates are vying for the presidency. Four of them are independents, while seven are backed by parties or coalitions.
More than 19 million Romanians, of whom one million live abroad, are eligible to vote in the first round of the presidential election on 4 May. The second round is expected to take place on 18 May.
On 6 December 2024, the Constitutional Court cancelled the first round of Romania’s presidential election. According to a Romanian intelligence report, foreign figures manipulated social media platforms, especially TikTok, to promote far-right, pro-Russian candidate Kelin Georgescu. According to intelligence reports, the campaign was probably organised by Russia, which denies interference.
In March this year, Romania’s electoral commission banned Georgescu from the race, with the politician claiming “tyranny.” The electoral commission’s decision was later upheld by the Constitutional Court.
Romania’s Central Electoral Board soon allowed Giorghe Simion – leader of the Alliance for Romanian Unity (AUR) and an associate of Kelin Georgescu – to run in May’s presidential election.
Polls show that far-right candidate George Simion will make it to the second round of the election.
His main rivals are considered to be two centrists: the candidate of the power coalition, Crin Antonescu, and the mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, who is running as an independent candidate.