The Constitutional Court of the country declared the November election, in which Calin Georgescu, a critic of NATO, was victorious, invalid. Consequently, the citizens of Romania are currently participating in the presidential election, which is taking place a few months after the initial vote was nullified due to accusations of Russian interference.
The polls officially opened at 7 A.M. local time (04:00 GMT) and will close at 9 P.M. (18:00 GMT), with exit polls shortly following. According to opinion polls, George Simion, a far-right politician, is predicted to emerge as the winner in the first round. The Constitutional Court invalidated the prior election victory of Calin Georgescu, barring him from the rerun. This resulted from a significant TikTok campaign and allegations of Russian involvement, causing violent protests to erupt.
Simion, who is among the 11 presidential contenders, opposes providing military aid to neighboring Ukraine, criticizes the leadership of the European Union, and aligns himself with Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” ideology. Although Simion is leading with approximately 30% of the votes, he falls short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff on May 18.
Simion’s main competitors are Crin Antonescu, a former Senator backed by the current pro-Western government, and Nicusor Dan, the independent Bucharest mayor running on an anti-corruption platform. Both support the European Union and NATO, as well as providing assistance to Ukraine. Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has shifted to a conservative nationalist stance, may also emerge as a contender.
One voter, Aurelia, aged 66, expressed her frustration with the annulment of the initial round, stating that she sees Simion as equivalent to Georgescu and feels embarrassed by the actions taken. Furthermore, she feels disheartened by the emigration of her children due to unfavorable circumstances in Romania. Pensioner Eugenia Niculescu, aged 65, hopes for a capable leader who can advocate for the Romanian people in the European Union.
The Romanian president holds a semi-executive position and is limited to two consecutive five-year terms. The president is responsible for commanding the armed forces, chairing the security council that determines military aid, representing Romania at EU and NATO summits, vetoing important EU votes, and appointing significant figures such as the prime minister, chief judges, prosecutors, and heads of secret services.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/4/romania-votes-in-crucial-presidential-election-rerun?traffic_source=rss
