Hard-right populist Georgescu takes surprise lead in Romania's presidential election
Calin Georgescu Leads Romania's Presidential Race
In a surprising turn of events, Calin Georgescu, a hard-right populist known for his anti-European Union and anti-NATO stance, has taken the lead in Romania's presidential race. With 98% of the votes counted, the 62-year-old Georgescu holds nearly 23% of the vote, slightly ahead of the centre-left Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who has around 20%. Centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi is in third place with nearly 19%, followed by far-right leader George Simion with 14%.
The partial results suggest that Georgescu, who was previously polling at just 5%, will face Ciolacu in a run-off vote on December 8. Earlier exit polls had shown Ciolacu leading, with Lasconi in second place, in an election focused on economic issues and the rising cost of living.
Despite his low profile, Georgescu, running as an independent, effectively used social media platforms like TikTok to reach voters, while mainstream media largely ignored him. A former member of the right-wing Alliance for Uniting Romanians party, Georgescu has called for an end to aid for Ukraine and criticized Romania's participation in NATO's missile defense shield.
Georgescu's controversial remarks include support for Romania's World War II-era leader Ion Antonescu, who allied with Adolf Hitler. On Sunday, Georgescu described the election results as a "cry for peace" from the people, stating, "And they shouted very loudly, extremely loudly."
Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, providing military aid and hosting NATO defense systems.
Doubts Revealed
Calin Georgescu
Calin Georgescu is a politician from Romania who is running for president. He has strong opinions against the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Anti-EU
Anti-EU means being against the European Union, which is a group of countries in Europe that work together on things like trade and laws.
Anti-NATO
Anti-NATO means being against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is a group of countries that have agreed to help each other if they are attacked.
Populist
A populist is someone who tries to appeal to ordinary people by saying they will fight against the elite or powerful groups.
Centre-left
Centre-left refers to political beliefs that are slightly left of the middle, often focusing on social equality and welfare.
Marcel Ciolacu
Marcel Ciolacu is the Prime Minister of Romania and is running for president. He has more moderate views compared to Calin Georgescu.
Run-off vote
A run-off vote is a second election held when no candidate wins a majority in the first round. It decides the final winner.
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu was a leader of Romania during World War II. He is a controversial figure because of his alliance with Nazi Germany.
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