Presidential election campaign has started in Romania: who is leading
Kyiv • UNN
The presidential election campaign has officially started in Romania. Polls show that two sovereignist candidates may reach the second round.
The presidential election campaign officially started in Romania on Friday. The first round of voting is scheduled for May 4, UNN writes with reference to Euractiv.
Details
The pro-European camp in the country is, as indicated, increasingly concerned that, according to recent polls, two sovereignist candidates may reach the second round, which may take place on May 18.
Independent candidate Nicușor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, warned that the second round between George Simion, the leader of the far-right AUR party, and former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who is now running as an independent candidate on the sovereignist platform, would be "the worst scenario" for Romania.
Dan suggested that he might withdraw from the presidential race if USR (Renew) leader Elena Lasconi or Crin Antonescu, a candidate supported by the ruling coalition of PSD, PNL and UDMR, showed better poll results.
According to current polls, Simion is leading, followed by Ponta, and Nicușor Dan closes the top three.
Despite finishing fourth, interim leader of the Liberals Cătălin Predoiu claims that Crin Antonescu will eventually win the election.
Meanwhile, Social Democratic Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu called on Nicușor Dan to withdraw his candidacy and continue his work as Mayor of Bucharest.
USR leader Elena Lasconi is leading by five points in the polls, but has ruled out withdrawing her candidacy. This step would mainly benefit Dana. At the same time, some members of her own party are pressuring her to reconsider her position.
USR Vice President Allen Coliban said that the feedback from the party's supporters reflects Lasconi's desire to "leave the race."
Although Nicușor Dan said he would support Lasconi if she ran for mayor of Bucharest. Lasconi herself claims that she is more suitable for the presidency, describing herself as a "courageous person."
Supplement
The Central Election Bureau of Romania has decided that right-wing populist Călin Georgescu cannot run in the repeated presidential elections in the country in May.
In February, the previous President of Romania Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation.
