A critic of the EU and NATO emerges as the leader in the first round of Romanian presidential elections

The Central Election Commission of Romania has counted the votes of 99.87% of the voters who took part in the first round of voting for the new president of the country, and the most votes so far have been received by Kelin Georgescu, an ultranationalist and Eurosceptic.

The second place is held by the current Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu.

Kelin Georgescu was supported by 22.92% of voters, i.e. 2 million 115 thousand 38 Romanians, and Marcel Ciolacu - 19.17%, i.e. 1 million 768 thousand 738 Romanians.

The first-round frontrunner is known for claiming that the EU and NATO do not adequately represent Romanian interests and for claiming that Russia's war in Ukraine, Romania's neighbor, is manipulated by American military companies.

Kelin Georgescu is a non-partisan candidate who was formerly a member of the nationalist Alliance for the Unification of Romanians. He is a former executive director of the UN Global Sustainable Development Index Institute in Geneva and Vaduz. From 2010 to 2012, he served as a Special Rapporteur at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. He is sometimes referred to in the media as a pro-Russian politician.

Marcel Ciolacu is the current Prime Minister of Romania (since June 2023) and former Speaker of the lower house of the Romanian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, from the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The media describe him as a supporter of left-wing economic and right-wing social ideas.

A total of 14 candidates ran in the election. The second round of the presidential election in Romania will be held on December 8. On December 1, the country will also hold parliamentary elections.

Кирило Бойко