Western Concerns Regarding Romania’s Border with Ukraine
In a surprising turn of events, an unknown candidate with far-right and pro-Russian sympathies, who has criticized the European Union (EU) and NATO, came first in the initial round of Romania’s presidential election. According to the results from the 24th of last month, independent candidate Călin Georgescu, age 62, secured 22.94% of the vote, placing first. Following him were Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, with 19.18%, and Marcel Ciolacu, the current prime minister from the Social Democratic Party, with 19.15%. This outcome has set the stage for a run-off between Georgescu and Lasconi on December 8th.
Since the end of communist dictatorship in 1989, Romania joined the EU and NATO, becoming part of the Western bloc, and shares a border with Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia. However, the unexpected success of a pro-Russian, far-right candidate has led to growing concerns in the West, especially since the ruling party’s candidate failed to advance to the run-off. Following the election results, Ciolacu announced his resignation as Prime Minister.
Georgescu worked at Romania’s Ministry of Environment from 1999 to 2012 and served as Romania’s representative in the UN’s Environmental National Council before entering politics with the far-right Alliance for Unity party. He has been the subject of several controversies, including being expelled from his party for calling Ion Antonescu, a wartime leader who was sentenced to death for involvement in the Holocaust, a hero. Georgescu has also made pro-Russian remarks, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin “one of the few true leaders in the world” and stating that “Ukraine was never a real country.” In a 2021 interview, he referred to NATO missile defense installations in southern Romania as a “diplomatic embarrassment.”
Georgescu initially commanded around 5% support in polls and was not considered a major contender. His surprise surge is believed to reflect widespread dissatisfaction among the public due to severe economic difficulties. CNN reported that his campaign for economic revitalization resonated with Romanian citizens, who are facing one of the most severe poverty crises in the EU. Georgescu also actively used TikTok for his campaign, attracting a younger audience with videos, such as ones of him riding a horse. His TikTok following is approximately 270,000.
While Georgescu led in the first round, he did not achieve a majority, and the gap with the second-place candidate is small, making it uncertain if he will ultimately win. Lasconi, who advanced to the run-off in second place, is campaigning with promises of tackling corruption and reform, aiming to become Romania’s first female president.
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