In a poll that will check the spread of Donald Trump-style populism in the European Union, Romanians cast ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential poll that had elect hard-right conservative George Simion to the presidency. Simion, 38, is against military aid to the neighboring Ukraine, criticizes the command of the EU, and claims to be in favor of the US government’s Make America Great Again movement.
His heir apparent Simion leads the vote-getters, riding a wave of public outcry after a second attempt to hold the vote was postponed after the first round due to alleged Russian meddling in the favor of far-right pioneer Calin Georgescu, who has since been suspended from office.
By 0710 GMT, according to statistics, about 1.98 million People, or 11 % of listed voters, had cast votes. Voting will end at 9:00 PM ( 1800 GMT ), with immediate results anticipated later in the evening and exit polls set for the following day.
Simion voted alongside Georgescu, who referred to the vote as “fraud” and appealed for people to retake their nation.
Simion is currently in the lead with a poll of around 30 %, which is a respectable lead but far below the 50 % required to avoid a run-off on May 18.
Aurelia, 66, a pension, said,” George Simion equals Calin Georgescu, he gets my vote.” She claimed that the withdrawal of Nov’s second round made her feel “humiliated.” ” This is where all is lacking.” Did my children leave to work overseas because things are so good here?” No, my kids are not here.
An eventual victory for Simion, according to political analysts, could destabilize Nato’s southeast side, where Ukraine is currently battling a three-year-old Russian invasion, and lead to increased private investment.
Two centrist candidates are Simion’s major foes: former legislator Crin Antonescu, 65, supported by the three events in the current pro-Western government, and Bucharest governor Nicusor Dan, 55, who is running as an independent on an anti-corruption system. Both sides support Ukraine and support the EU. Victor Ponta, a former communist prime minister who has since become a conventional nationalist, is ranked third but has the potential to be a dark horse.
Simion is not the only legislator in the MAGA style to seek office in northern Europe. This year, Karolin Nawrocki, the principal nationalist opposition candidate in Poland, met Trump. If elected, they would increase the number of conservative leaders now headed by the Hungarian and Czech primary ministers.
This is a Reuters article.
