Romanians will head to the polls on Sunday, May 4, to elect their next president in the first round of a “do-over” election, the second such poll within six months.
The Eastern European country previously held a presidential election on November 24, 2024, from which far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who was polling in single digits during the campaign, surprisingly emerged victorious.
That result was annulled after reports emerged of alleged Russian election interference in favour of Georgescu, throwing the country into a political crisis.
Romania’s elections authority banned the pro-Moscow independent in March. He is now subject to criminal investigations.
Here’s everything you need to know about the redo vote and who the top contenders are:
Where and when will polls open in Romania?
Polls will open at 7am (04:00 GMT) on Sunday, May 4 and close at 9pm (18:00 GMT).
Voters can cast their ballot at any of 18,979 polling stations around the country. An additional 965 stations will be set up in countries with big diaspora communities, including Malta, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Moldova and the United States.
How do presidential elections work in Romania?
The president is elected for a five-year term in a two-round voting system. A president can serve up to two terms.
A candidate must secure more than 50 percent of all registered votes to be declared a winner in the first round.
If no candidate achieves the 50 percent threshold on May 4, a run-off will be held on May 18 between the two top finishers. The candidate with the most votes will be declared the winner.
What are the main issues driving this election?
Wages and inflation
The rising cost of food and other basics in the country is likely to be the biggest factor in how people choose to vote.
The country’s economy has steadily been on the decline for decades, forcing many young people to seek work abroad. Close to one-third of the population faces poverty.
Corruption
There is deep-rooted anger over how establishment parties have run the country since the fall of the communist government in 1989.
Romania scores among the bottom four countries in Europe in terms of corruption, according to Transparency International. Voters generally have little trust in public institutions and politicians.
Ideological divide
Romania, like several other European nations, faces growing questions from sections of its population about its support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. More right-leaning voters are against additional backing for Kyiv.
Overall, voters are split between wanting a government more removed from the West and closer to Russia, and one that’s pro-European Union and NATO.
This divide is reflected in the makeup of Romania’s parliament.
Following parliamentary elections on December 1 last year, Romania’s pro-Europe parties came together to form a majority government in a bid to shut out far-right nationalists.
The ruling National Coalition for Romania was formed when the pro-Europe Social Democratic Party (PSD), which topped the polls in the December election but failed to achieve a majority, reached an agreement with the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the reformist Save Romania Union party (USR), and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party.
Overall, the coalition holds 58 of the 134 seats in the Senate, the upper house, and 135 seats out of 331 in the lower Chamber of Deputies.
On the anti-EU side, the most popular party is the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which is led by presidential candidate George Simion. It holds 28 seats in the Senate and 61 in the Chamber of Deputies.
SOS Romania, also a far-right party, holds another 12 seats in the Senate and 28 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The far-right Party of Young People (POT) holds 24 lower and seven upper seats. Overall, these euro-sceptic parties hold 113 seats in the Chamber of Deputies – not far behind the ruling coalition’s 135.
Given this divide, the EU will have its eyes on this presidential election.
Who are the main contenders?
George Simion, 38
The right-wing, eurosceptic politician is leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and is currently leading the polls with support from 30 percent of voters as of April 26, according to Politico’s Poll of Polls (an average of all the polls).
Simion, who is perceived as being pro-Moscow – like Georgescu who is a former member of AUR – and is backed by nationalist camps, criticised the decision to annul the controversial November elections.
He is opposed to same-sex marriage and is a euro-sceptic. He has also spoken out against sending aid to Ukraine.
He has advocated for taking back territory from Ukraine and Moldova that once belonged to Romania. In May 2015, Simion was declared “persona non grata” by Moldova and barred from entering the country for five years on the grounds that he was “endangering national security”. This ban was renewed for a further five years in February 2024.
Simion was criticised in 2019 for supporting the election to parliament of two former military officers accused of suppressing revolutionaries in the country’s 1989 overthrow of communist rule.
Crin Antonescu, 65
The independent candidate and longtime politician is backed by the more centrist governing Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party alliance (PSD-PNL).
According to Politico’s Poll of Polls, Antonescu, who was a one-time acting president and head of the Senate, was polling at 24 percent as of April 26.
He supports Romania’s membership of the EU and NATO. He is also in favour of sending more aid to Ukraine.
Antonescu has highlighted his political experience in his campaigns.
Nicusor Dan, 55
The activist and mathematician is the mayor of Bucharest, a position he has held since 2011. He is running as an independent candidate on an anticorruption ticket and is polling at 22 percent, according to Politico.
For more than a decade before becoming mayor, Dan campaigned against the demolition of heritage buildings in the capital city and against the conversion of public parks to construction sites.
He is favoured by liberal camps who support closer ties with the EU and want to prevent the rise of right-wing candidates like Simion, but who do not favour the centrist ruling coalition.
Dan was re-elected as mayor last June, and his announcement to run following the annulled presidential elections in November came as a surprise.
His campaign promises are to reform institutions, get rid of corruption and inefficiencies, and increase defence spending. He is also promising to unite Romanians across ideological lines.
Victor Ponta, 52
Prime minister until 2014 under the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), Ponta is also running as an independent candidate in this election, polling at 10 percent at the end of April, according to Politico.
His stint in the top job was marred by allegations of tax evasion and money laundering that eventually forced him to resign, however. In 2018, a court acquitted him of the charges, marking his comeback to politics.
Ponta is currently a legislator in the Chamber of Deputies.
He has highlighted nationalist and protectionist themes in his campaign: He is against buying Ukrainian grain and wants to protect the interests of Romanian farmers.
Elena Lasconi, 53
Lasconi is a journalist and the mayor of Campulung in south-central Romania. She is popular with liberal voters.
She is running as leader of the political party, Save Romania Union (USR) and is polling at 7 percent in Politico’s Poll of Polls.
Lasconi placed second in the November elections and was set to face Georgescu in the run-off vote before it was annulled.
As mayor, she is in favour of EU support, which her office said allowed Campulung to build parks and other critical infrastructure.
What powers does the Romanian president have?
The president of Romania is head of state and can issue official decrees.
Under the constitution, the president has the power to nominate the prime minister, who must then be approved by parliament.
The president does not have the power to dismiss the prime minister once in place, although he or she can appoint an acting prime minister if the current one becomes incapacitated. The prime minister and his cabinet have ultimate control when it comes to running the country.
While the president is required by the constitution to maintain a neutral stance, if Simion does win the presidency, that would place him ideologically at odds with the coalition government.
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