Financial Times: Romania To Hold Crucial Elections
5- 17.05.2025, 9:45
- 3,340
The balance of power in Eastern Europe may depend on the outcome.
The outcome could determine the balance of power in Eastern Europe.
On Sunday, Romania will elect a new president - and the vote could change both the country's domestic politics and its course on the international stage, writes Financial Times (translated by Charter97.org).
Two political antipodes are running for the presidency: the pro-European mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan and the ultra-nationalist George Simion, who openly expresses support for US President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Italian Council of Ministers President Giorgia Meloni..
The situation became particularly tense after the results of the first round of voting were annulled in November: the then-winning candidate, Calin Georgescu, was found to have had secret support from the Kremlin. Now Simion is in the lead with 41% of the vote in the first round.
Simion's victory could lead to a reversal of foreign policy: although he claims he has no intention of withdrawing the country from the EU and NATO, his aggressive rhetoric against Brussels and neighboring countries (Simion has been banned from entering Ukraine and Moldova) has alarmed both allies and investors.
Financial markets have already reacted nervously: the national currency fell below the level of 5 lei per euro for the first time, and the auction of government debt was postponed. Romania's credit rating was jeopardized.
The defeat of the ruling coalition in the first round led to its collapse. Forming a new parliamentary majority will be the first task of the new president. If Simion wins, this process could become extremely difficult - especially if his style of governance resembles the Hungarian model of Viktor Orban.
Romania is preparing for a crucial election that could not only affect internal stability, but also shake the balance of power in Eastern Europe. At the same time, the EU and the US are trying to establish economic relations, being on the verge of a new round of trade confrontation.
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