Why did left-leaning Romania swing towards far-right? Why it chose populist leader over AUR

In a major turn of events, a little-known far-right populist leader took the lead in the Romanian presidential elections and will now enter a run-off against the country’s leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in two weeks. The surprising outcome has managed to rock the Eastern European nation’s political landscape, making many wonder why the country and the continent of Europe are leaning towards the right.

With 96 per cent votes counted, ultranationalist Calin Georgescu took the lead with 22 per cent votes with Marcel Ciolacu in close second with 20 per cent of the vote share. What makes matters interesting is the fact that Georgescu was an independent candidate and largely campaigned on social media platforms like TikTok. He will now go head to head against Ciolacu in a final run-off for the presidency on 8 December.

Around 13 candidates took part in the race. The president of Romania is obligated to serve a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. The Sunday results made many wonder why the country chose a right-leaning candidate and why they picked Georgescu over George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR.

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Why is Romania enamored by the right and why did Georgescu fit the bill?

For the longest time, the far-right parties and politicians have remained on the fringes when it comes to the Romanian political landscape. However, in recent years, there has been a rise in their prominence in the country. Multiple factors contributed to the rise of the right in the country.

However, two major reasons why Romanians are enamoured by nationalist leaders are the country’s deplorable economy and the growing influence of the European Union and NATO. It is pertinent to note that Romania has the biggest share of people at risk of poverty in the European Union.

The country has been witnessing a major rise in the cost of living with many questioning the incumbency and calling for a change. In his first reaction after the polls closed, Georgescu also spoke about the economic uncertainty that has engulfed the country.

“The 35-years-long economic uncertainty imposed on the Romanian people became uncertainty for the political parties today,” Georgescu said. He went on to call the result “an amazing awakening” of the Romanian people.

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Another reason why Romania is leaning towards the right is the public dismay at the growing influence of the EU and NATO in the country, especially following the Russia-Ukraine war. While campaigning, Georgescu, who belongs to no party, swore to end what he calls subservience to the European Union and NATO, especially in support of Ukraine. He also condemned the NATO ballistic missile defence shield which is currently deployed in Deveselu, Romania. In the past, right-wing politicians maintained that measures like these affect the sovereignty of the country.

Why did Romania choose Georgescu over AUR?

Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, told The Associated Press that Georgescu’s unexpected poll performance appears to be a “large protest or revolt against the establishment.”

“The mainstream political parties have lost the connection with regular Romanians,” he said. “You don’t have strong candidates or strong leaders … there are weak candidates, weak leaders, and the parties in general are pretty much disconnected,” he added.

While Georgescu might lack a solid agenda, he emerged as a populist leader due to his support for the Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production. While campaigning, Georgescu amassed 1.6 million likes on TikTok. His posts frequently depicted him as attending church, doing judo, running around an oval track, and speaking on podcasts. Many believed that Georgescu had more relatability than AUR’s Simion who was only against 14.1 per cent votes.

With inputs from agencies.