Bucharest’s neoliberal mayor is facing challenges in garnering support to defeat the self-proclaimed “Maga candidate,” George Simion, in the upcoming second round of Romania’s presidential elections. Building a coalition capable of overcoming populist frontrunners has proven difficult.
Nicole Dunn, a mathematician and activist serving as mayor since 2020, secured a narrow victory over former deputy president and leader of the National Liberal Party (PLN), Crin Antonescu, with a vote margin of 20.99% to 20.07%. This positions her for a second round, set to unfold on Sunday.
Ideally, those who backed Antonescu would rally around Dan, potentially allowing for a centralist victory against populist challengers, similar to strategies seen in other two-round electoral systems, like France.
However, actualizing this outcome may not be straightforward for Bucharest’s mayor. Ionuț Pucheanu, a key figure in the Social Democrats (PSD), expressed on social media that he wouldn’t support Dan in the second round and urged voters to follow their convictions.
“Politicians shouldn’t dictate whom to vote for; you know best which direction our country should take,” he stated. “Regardless of your political leanings, it’s vital in the second round to vote with clarity and integrity. Don’t let transient feelings or distractions sway you. Be responsible in your choice!”
Similarly, there was reluctance among some to endorse Dan. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned on Monday after the leftist PSD pulled out of the coalition government following Antonescu’s defeat.
The People’s Liberal Party, another significant player in the faltering coalition, announced support for the mayor’s candidacy against Simion. Yet, notably, Antonescu did not follow suit. Like PSD leaders, he encouraged voters to decide based on their values in the second round.
“Some voted for me. I urge them to consider that the ideas I presented align with compatible candidates. Don’t stay home. I encourage you to vote for those who have supported you,” he stated on Monday.
Despite Dan and Antonescu sharing similar views, some question if Antonescu’s supporters will gravitate toward the Bucharest mayor instead of Simion, who has openly criticized EU actions on the Ukraine conflict.
National Liberal Party MEP Siegfried Mureșan commented, “Voter profiles vary: some are liberal, others conservative, and some even very conservative. There’s a mix of backgrounds, with some coming from rural areas and others who may not be highly educated.”
There’s mounting pressure on Dan to appeal to voters, especially since Simion currently has a substantial lead, outperforming Dan by 20 points overall. Notably, in the Romanian diaspora, Simion holds more than 60% support, raising concerns for Dan’s standing inside Romania.
Simion’s candidacy reflects growing discontent with the EU’s influence in Romania, particularly following last year’s controversial decision by the Bucharest government to invalidate the presidential election after populiist candidate Karin Georgek’s surprising first-round win. Georgek and his supporters claimed that the move to annul the election was driven by Brussels pressure, particularly regarding ongoing military support to Ukraine.
Simion has positioned himself as a viable alternative to Georgek, promising to bring his allies into the government if victorious. He also identifies as the “Maga candidate,” aligning himself with former President Donald Trump, and pledges to build a strong anti-establishment coalition across Europe.
“We’re likely the first to push forward the ‘Make Europe Great Again’ movement. I’m a co-founder of Europe. We will win,” Simion remarked to Breitbart News.
He noted connections with allies like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as well.
