Romania’s left-leaning liberal coalition is on the verge of collapse after a decisive win by populist George Simion in the initial round of Sunday’s presidential election.
Prime Minister Marcel Siorak of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) announced his intention to resign on Monday. This decision impacts the ruling coalition, which includes the newly formed Globalist People Liberal Party (PNL) and the Hungarian Social Conservative Democrat Alliance (UDMR), as reported by DIGI24.
The backdrop to this election is intriguing. Following the annulment of past elections in November, populist Karin Georgek was barred from participating after accusations of Russian meddling, leading to this redo. In a surprising outcome, Simion, who identifies as the “Maga candidate” allied with Georgescu, secured 40.96% of the votes. Bucharest’s Mayor Nixon Dunn came in second with 20.99%.
The coalition is now pinning its hopes on Klyn Antonescu, the President of the National Liberal Party, and has opted not to field any candidates from the PSD. Unfortunately, Antonescu finished third with 20.07%, which means he won’t advance to the second round scheduled for May 18th.
Before heading to an urgent PSD meeting in Bucharest, Prime Minister Siorak expressed, “In light of the Romanian vote, I suggest we leave this coalition.”
Ciolacu echoed this sentiment, stating, “Observing the Romanian vote and the inefficacy of this coalition, it seems wise for PSD to withdraw, as it’s no longer dependable.”
According to DIGI24, there’s a chance the interim prime minister will come from the current cabinet, with the next president tasked with dialogues among parliamentary parties to form a new government post-election.
The government’s collapse following the first round of presidential voting is quite unusual in European parliamentary politics, highlighting a notable populist shift in the country. Simion’s win was significant; it eclipsed Georgek’s prior election performance almost twofold.
However, the pro-European vote was split between President Antonescu and Mayor Dan, risking a neoliberal victory if leftists and centrists come together later this month.
Simion seems to be gaining momentum, fueled by frustration over Georgek’s exclusion from the race. Many critics believe this was influenced by pressure from EU officials regarding NATO expansion in Ukraine and his opposition to the conflict.
French populist Marine Le Pen commented that by supporting Simion after Georgek’s ban, European Commission President von der Leyen might be facing a backlash.
Simion, like Georgek, has criticized Western actions, advocating for a diplomatic approach to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
He has also condemned Vladimir Putin, labeling his actions in the 2022 invasion as “war crimes,” while also expressing controversial views regarding territories in Moldova and Ukraine that he believes should revert to Romanian control.
If Simion secures the presidency, it could align him with other Trump allies within the EU. Previously, Romanian politicians indicated that should he and Polish candidate Karol Naulocky both win, it might oppose the current bureaucratic structure in Brussels.
