Romania's far-right presidential candidate takes first round in shock poll, PM out
In a surprise outcome in the first round of Romania's presidential election, obscure hard-right candidate Calin Georgescu came in first place with 22.9 percent of the vote while pro-EU Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was knocked out of the race despite having been heavily favoured to win, near-complete results showed Monday.
Issued on: 25/11/2024 -
By: FRANCE 24
In a surprise outcome in the first round of Romania's presidential election, obscure hard-right candidate Calin Georgescu came in first place with 22.9 percent of the vote while pro-EU Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was knocked out of the race despite having been heavily favoured to win, near-complete results showed Monday.
Issued on: 25/11/2024 -
By: FRANCE 24
01:29
Calin Georgescu, running as an independent candidate for president, speaks to media after registering his bid in the country's presidential elections, in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, October 1, 2024. © Alexandre Dobre, AP
A pro-Russia far-right candidate took a surprise lead Monday in Romania’s presidential election, knocking the EU-leaning premier out of the race that will be decided in a December run off.
The result is a political earthquake in the country of 19 million, a NATO member which has so far resisted nationalist appeals, setting itself apart from neighbours Hungary and Slovakia.
Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu was in pole position with 22.94 percent of the ballot, followed by the little-known Elena Lasconi, the centre-right mayor of a small town.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was in third place with 19.15 percent of the ballot in Sunday’s election after 99 percent of the vote was counted, eliminating him from the December 8 run off.
Ciolacu told reporters Monday that his Social Democratic Party (PSD) "won't challenge" the result of Sunday's vote, adding: "The rules of democracy and the importance of the second round are greater than our personal interests."
Exit polls in the race for the largely ceremonial post initially had showed the premier with a comfortable lead and put another far-right candidate, George Simion, in second.
Georgescu surged in recent days with a viral TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine. He has also sounded a sceptical note on Romania’s NATO membership.
“Tonight, the Romanian people cried out for peace. And they shouted very loudly, extremely loudly,” he said late Sunday.
‘Man of integrity’
“The far right is by far the big winner of this election,” political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu told AFP of the result that sent shockwaves across the country.
Maria Chis, 70, said she was surprised by Georgescu’s lead in the first round but had been impressed after watching his TikTok videos.
“He seems a man of integrity, serious and patriotic. He inspires seriousness. I think only someone like him can bring change,” said the pensioner who had shunned the ballot.
Alex Tudose, the owner of a construction company, was gloomy.
“There is sorrow, disappointment that after so many years in Euro-Atlantic structures we voted for a pro-Russian by over 20 percent,” the 42-year-old said.
“There is clearly a strong fragmentation both in society and in the political class and I think we saw that yesterday,” he said.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin did not know much about Georgescu: “I can’t say that we are very familiar with the worldview of this candidate, as far it concerns relations with our country.”
Ciolacu’s Social Democrat party has shaped Romania’s politics for more than three decades.
But with concerns mounting over inflation and the war in neighbouring Ukraine, the far right had appeared to be gaining ground ahead of the vote.
The stakes are high for Romania, which has a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Ukraine and has become more important since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022.
The Black Sea nation now plays a “vital strategic role” for NATO—as it is a base for more than 5,000 soldiers—and the transit of Ukrainian grain, the New Strategy Center think tank said.
The campaign was marked by controversy and personal attacks, with Simion, who came fourth, facing accusations of meeting with Russian spies—a claim he has denied.
Ciolacu has been criticised for his use of private jets.
Pirvulescu, the political scientist, said the far right’s surprise success could have a “contagion effect” in the parliamentary elections slated for December, which could make it difficult to form a coalition.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
A pro-Russia far-right candidate took a surprise lead Monday in Romania’s presidential election, knocking the EU-leaning premier out of the race that will be decided in a December run off.
The result is a political earthquake in the country of 19 million, a NATO member which has so far resisted nationalist appeals, setting itself apart from neighbours Hungary and Slovakia.
Far-right candidate Calin Georgescu was in pole position with 22.94 percent of the ballot, followed by the little-known Elena Lasconi, the centre-right mayor of a small town.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was in third place with 19.15 percent of the ballot in Sunday’s election after 99 percent of the vote was counted, eliminating him from the December 8 run off.
Ciolacu told reporters Monday that his Social Democratic Party (PSD) "won't challenge" the result of Sunday's vote, adding: "The rules of democracy and the importance of the second round are greater than our personal interests."
Exit polls in the race for the largely ceremonial post initially had showed the premier with a comfortable lead and put another far-right candidate, George Simion, in second.
Georgescu surged in recent days with a viral TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine. He has also sounded a sceptical note on Romania’s NATO membership.
“Tonight, the Romanian people cried out for peace. And they shouted very loudly, extremely loudly,” he said late Sunday.
‘Man of integrity’
“The far right is by far the big winner of this election,” political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu told AFP of the result that sent shockwaves across the country.
Maria Chis, 70, said she was surprised by Georgescu’s lead in the first round but had been impressed after watching his TikTok videos.
“He seems a man of integrity, serious and patriotic. He inspires seriousness. I think only someone like him can bring change,” said the pensioner who had shunned the ballot.
Alex Tudose, the owner of a construction company, was gloomy.
“There is sorrow, disappointment that after so many years in Euro-Atlantic structures we voted for a pro-Russian by over 20 percent,” the 42-year-old said.
“There is clearly a strong fragmentation both in society and in the political class and I think we saw that yesterday,” he said.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin did not know much about Georgescu: “I can’t say that we are very familiar with the worldview of this candidate, as far it concerns relations with our country.”
Ciolacu’s Social Democrat party has shaped Romania’s politics for more than three decades.
But with concerns mounting over inflation and the war in neighbouring Ukraine, the far right had appeared to be gaining ground ahead of the vote.
The stakes are high for Romania, which has a 650-kilometre (400-mile) border with Ukraine and has become more important since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022.
The Black Sea nation now plays a “vital strategic role” for NATO—as it is a base for more than 5,000 soldiers—and the transit of Ukrainian grain, the New Strategy Center think tank said.
The campaign was marked by controversy and personal attacks, with Simion, who came fourth, facing accusations of meeting with Russian spies—a claim he has denied.
Ciolacu has been criticised for his use of private jets.
Pirvulescu, the political scientist, said the far right’s surprise success could have a “contagion effect” in the parliamentary elections slated for December, which could make it difficult to form a coalition.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Calin Georgescu, a previously obscure far-right populist and Tiktok star, unexpectedly came in first place with 22.9 percent of the vote during the first round of Romania's presidential election on Sunday. An independent candidate, he has focused his campaign on criticising NATO and pushing for reduced support for Ukraine.
Issued on: 25/11/2024
By: NEWS WIRES
This picture taken on November 13, 2024 shows Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu at the TV station "Digi 24" in Bucharest, Romania. © Octav Ganea, AFP
Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania's presidential election.
However, the 62-year-old obscure far-right populist shook the country's political landscape by clinching the most votes and advancing to the second round to face off against reformist Elena Lasconi of the progressive Save Romania Union party.
He also beat the incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party, leaving the ruling party for the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-communist history without a candidate in the runoff, set for Dec. 8.
Read moreRomania's far-right presidential candidate takes first round in shock poll, PM out
The surprising outcome has left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were off, putting Georgescu behind at least five other candidates.
Born in Bucharest in 1962, Georgescu holds a doctorate in pedology, a branch of soil science, and held different positions in Romania’s environment ministry in the 1990s, according to his website. Between 1999 and 2012, he was a representative for Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Program.
Once a member of Romania’s far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting and being accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance to which Romania belongs.
He supports the Romanian Orthodox Church and has sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes.
According to local media, he has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a man who loves his country” and called Ukraine “an invented state,” but he claims not to be pro-Russian. He is married with three sons.
Many observers have attributed Georgescu’s success to his TikTok account, which has 3.7 million likes and 274,000 followers. He gained huge traction and popularity in recent weeks.
According to a report by Expert Forum, a Bucharest-based think tank, Georgescu’s TikTok account has had an explosion which it said “appears sudden and artificial, similar to his polling results.”
On Nov. 18, his TikTok account had garnered 92.8 million views primarily within the last two months, the report states, a figure that grew by 52 million views a week later, just days before the first-round vote.
“The most visible theme pushed by Calin Georgescu on TikTok in the last two months is peace, more precisely the need for Romania to stop supporting Ukraine in order not to involve Romania in war,” the report states.
Another TikTok account, solely featuring Geogescu content, and which had 1.7 million likes late Sunday, appears to have been deleted. It had posts with Georgescu attending church, doing judo, running around an oval track, and speaking on podcasts.
“We need TikTok to shed some light and actually investigate what is happening in Romania,” Madalina Voinea, of Expert Forum, told The Associated Press.
Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says that Georgescu’s unexpected poll performance has less to do with his appeal and more due to voters growing tired of an out-of-touch political class.
"He’s just a guy who managed to use the social networks to make himself visible in a void for many Romanians who lost contact with political parties, at least with the elites in Bucharest,” he said. “The mainstream political parties have lost the ability to use these new platforms.”
He added that politicians from Romania’s traditional parties lacked messages of hope and no clear vision for their country ahead of the vote.
“The debates in these campaigns were very low in quality and ideas,” he said.
His positions include supporting Romanian farmers, reducing import dependence, and ramping up local energy and food production. He also wants to establish a “sovereign" distribution model allegedly based on participatory democracy in which “Truth, Freedom and Sovereignty are the axes of values” in Romania’s development.
On foreign policy, NATO and European Union member Romania will respect its obligations, he states on his website, but only “to the extent that they will respect theirs” toward Romania. He also says Romania must play “a more consistent role” in international affairs.
The war in neighboring Ukraine, he said, highlights “the importance of diversifying external relations” and that Romania should strengthen its defense capabilities.
Romania’s presidential role carries significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. While it has limited executive power in domestic affairs, a president can veto parliamentary law proposals, and dissolve parliament if a prime minister’s appointment is rejected twice.
(AP)
Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania's presidential election.
However, the 62-year-old obscure far-right populist shook the country's political landscape by clinching the most votes and advancing to the second round to face off against reformist Elena Lasconi of the progressive Save Romania Union party.
He also beat the incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party, leaving the ruling party for the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-communist history without a candidate in the runoff, set for Dec. 8.
Read moreRomania's far-right presidential candidate takes first round in shock poll, PM out
The surprising outcome has left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were off, putting Georgescu behind at least five other candidates.
Born in Bucharest in 1962, Georgescu holds a doctorate in pedology, a branch of soil science, and held different positions in Romania’s environment ministry in the 1990s, according to his website. Between 1999 and 2012, he was a representative for Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Program.
Once a member of Romania’s far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting and being accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance to which Romania belongs.
He supports the Romanian Orthodox Church and has sparked controversy in the past for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes.
According to local media, he has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as “a man who loves his country” and called Ukraine “an invented state,” but he claims not to be pro-Russian. He is married with three sons.
Many observers have attributed Georgescu’s success to his TikTok account, which has 3.7 million likes and 274,000 followers. He gained huge traction and popularity in recent weeks.
According to a report by Expert Forum, a Bucharest-based think tank, Georgescu’s TikTok account has had an explosion which it said “appears sudden and artificial, similar to his polling results.”
On Nov. 18, his TikTok account had garnered 92.8 million views primarily within the last two months, the report states, a figure that grew by 52 million views a week later, just days before the first-round vote.
“The most visible theme pushed by Calin Georgescu on TikTok in the last two months is peace, more precisely the need for Romania to stop supporting Ukraine in order not to involve Romania in war,” the report states.
Another TikTok account, solely featuring Geogescu content, and which had 1.7 million likes late Sunday, appears to have been deleted. It had posts with Georgescu attending church, doing judo, running around an oval track, and speaking on podcasts.
“We need TikTok to shed some light and actually investigate what is happening in Romania,” Madalina Voinea, of Expert Forum, told The Associated Press.
Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, says that Georgescu’s unexpected poll performance has less to do with his appeal and more due to voters growing tired of an out-of-touch political class.
"He’s just a guy who managed to use the social networks to make himself visible in a void for many Romanians who lost contact with political parties, at least with the elites in Bucharest,” he said. “The mainstream political parties have lost the ability to use these new platforms.”
He added that politicians from Romania’s traditional parties lacked messages of hope and no clear vision for their country ahead of the vote.
“The debates in these campaigns were very low in quality and ideas,” he said.
His positions include supporting Romanian farmers, reducing import dependence, and ramping up local energy and food production. He also wants to establish a “sovereign" distribution model allegedly based on participatory democracy in which “Truth, Freedom and Sovereignty are the axes of values” in Romania’s development.
On foreign policy, NATO and European Union member Romania will respect its obligations, he states on his website, but only “to the extent that they will respect theirs” toward Romania. He also says Romania must play “a more consistent role” in international affairs.
The war in neighboring Ukraine, he said, highlights “the importance of diversifying external relations” and that Romania should strengthen its defense capabilities.
Romania’s presidential role carries significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. While it has limited executive power in domestic affairs, a president can veto parliamentary law proposals, and dissolve parliament if a prime minister’s appointment is rejected twice.
(AP)
