A far-right candidate is projected to win the first round of Romania’s presidential election rerun in May, a survey shows. However, centrist Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan is expected to prevail in the final round, keeping Romania on its pro-European course despite rising nationalist rhetoric.
A far-right candidate is seen leading in the first round of Romania's presidential election rerun in May, according to a survey on Monday, in a vote that will determine whether Bucharest keeps to its pro-European course of recent years.
However, the survey by AtlasIntel also showed the centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, was likely to defeat whichever of two far-right candidates ends up contesting the election in the second and decisive round.
NATO and EU member Romania is due to repeat its two-round presidential election on May 4 and 18 after the top court voided the original vote in December amid accusations of Russian meddling in favour of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who had been leading in the polls.
Moscow denied meddling in the vote.
After Georgescu's candidacy for the rerun was blocked by the top court, both George Simion and Anamaria Gavrila, prominent figures on Romania's hard right, stepped forward, with an agreement that one would stand aside if both candidacies were approved.
The Central Electoral Bureau (CEB) has now accepted both candidacies but there is as yet no decision on who will step aside.
Simion, leader of Romania's second-largest party, the Alliance of Uniting Romanians (AUR)and Gavrila, leader of the Young People Party (POT), were supporters of Georgescu and have been stoking up nationalist fervor with their fiery rhetoric.
The AtlasIntel survey, conducted from March 13-15 and published on Monday on the news website hotnews.ro, showed that either Simion or Gavrila would secure most votes in the first round.
Simion would secure 30.4% of the vote in the first round if he was the far-right candidate, while Gavrila would get 30.2% if she ran, according to the survey.
However, Bucharest mayor Dan, running as an independent, would likely win the decisive second round due to his broad appeal across various voter demographics, according to the survey, though many of those canvassed remained undecided.
Romania's hard-right parties generally take a pro-Russian line in foreign policy and oppose providing military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, a stance that would put Bucharest at odds with the European Union and NATO if either Simion or Gavrila became president.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed confidence on Thursday that NATO allies will agree to President Donald Trump’s call for a sharp increase in defence spending, signalling a potential shift in transatlantic security priorities ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
A Russian drone strike killed the wife, daughter, and infant grandson of a fire chief in northern Ukraine's Chernihiv region, as Moscow intensified overnight attacks on civilian areas, including the city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine's military says it has preemptively struck Russian missile systems in Russia’s Bryansk region, thwarting what it claims was an imminent attack on Kyiv.
As EU ministers debate potential changes to air passenger compensation laws, European airlines face a critical choice: cut costs or protect customer trust in an era where disruption is inevitable—and loyalty is everything.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 5th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Amid renewed global scrutiny, Iran reflects on defining moments that shaped its revolutionary identity, invoking the past to reinforce its stance in current geopolitical disputes.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed confidence on Thursday that NATO allies will agree to President Donald Trump’s call for a sharp increase in defence spending, signalling a potential shift in transatlantic security priorities ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
A Russian drone strike killed the wife, daughter, and infant grandson of a fire chief in northern Ukraine's Chernihiv region, as Moscow intensified overnight attacks on civilian areas, including the city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine's military says it has preemptively struck Russian missile systems in Russia’s Bryansk region, thwarting what it claims was an imminent attack on Kyiv.
As EU ministers debate potential changes to air passenger compensation laws, European airlines face a critical choice: cut costs or protect customer trust in an era where disruption is inevitable—and loyalty is everything.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed confidence on Thursday that NATO allies will agree to President Donald Trump’s call for a sharp increase in defence spending, signalling a potential shift in transatlantic security priorities ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
A Russian drone strike killed the wife, daughter, and infant grandson of a fire chief in northern Ukraine's Chernihiv region, as Moscow intensified overnight attacks on civilian areas, including the city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine's military says it has preemptively struck Russian missile systems in Russia’s Bryansk region, thwarting what it claims was an imminent attack on Kyiv.
As EU ministers debate potential changes to air passenger compensation laws, European airlines face a critical choice: cut costs or protect customer trust in an era where disruption is inevitable—and loyalty is everything.
A joyous cricket celebration turned tragic in Bengaluru as a crowd surge outside the stadium left at least 11 dead and dozens injured.
Amid renewed global scrutiny, Iran reflects on defining moments that shaped its revolutionary identity, invoking the past to reinforce its stance in current geopolitical disputes.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed confidence on Thursday that NATO allies will agree to President Donald Trump’s call for a sharp increase in defence spending, signalling a potential shift in transatlantic security priorities ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.
A Russian drone strike killed the wife, daughter, and infant grandson of a fire chief in northern Ukraine's Chernihiv region, as Moscow intensified overnight attacks on civilian areas, including the city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine's military says it has preemptively struck Russian missile systems in Russia’s Bryansk region, thwarting what it claims was an imminent attack on Kyiv.
As EU ministers debate potential changes to air passenger compensation laws, European airlines face a critical choice: cut costs or protect customer trust in an era where disruption is inevitable—and loyalty is everything.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment