Romanians head to the polls on Sunday in a presidential election that could see hard-right politician George Simion, who opposes military aid to Ukraine and admires Donald Trump, make a run for the presidency. Simion is challenging the incumbent president, Klaus Iohannis, who has been a strong advocate for Romania's pro-western stance.
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania ns vote on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that may give a shot at victory to hard-right politician George Simion , who opposes military aid to Ukraine , admires Donald Trump and wants to emulate Giorgia Meloni's Italy. Outgoing two-term president Klaus Iohannis , 65, had cemented Romania 's strong pro-western stance but was accused of not doing enough to fight corruption.
Voting starts at 0500 GMT and ends at 1900 GMT with exit polls to follow immediately. The second round is scheduled for Dec. 8 while a parliamentary election is also due next Sunday. Voting by Romanians abroad, who can influence the result and where Simion is popular, began on Friday. Simion voted in Rome. Opinion surveys show leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, 56, leader of Romania's largest party, the Social Democrats, will make it into the run-off vote with Simion, 38, of the Alliance for Uniting Romanians the likely runner-up. Analysts expect Ciolacu to win the second round against Simion, appealing to moderates and touting his experience running Romania during a war next door, but do not rule out a switch-up amid frustration with the high cost of living. They also say the prospects of a Ciolacu-Simion run-off vote could mobilize centre-right voters in favour of Elena Lasconi, leader of centre-right opposition Save Romania Union. Simion has cast the election as a choice between an entrenched political class beholden to foreign interests in Brussels and himself, an outsider who will defend Romania's economy and sovereignty. Romania has the EU's largest share of people at risk of poverty. 'We take as a model the right-wing government formed in Italy,' Simion told foreign media earlier this week. Since Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, Romania has enabled the export of millions of tons of grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta and provided military aid, including the donation of a Patriot air defence batter
Romania Presidential Election George Simion Klaus Iohannis Ukraine Pro-Western Stance Hard-Right Politics
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