The Romanian political scene changed after last years parliamentary elections where pro-western groups got most votes but saw strong push from nationalist parties. The Social Democratic Party took first place while the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) got an unexpected second spot
The National Liberal Party ended up in third position; the reform-focused Save Romania Union landed in fourth place. Two other nationalist-leaning parties (which nobody expected to do well) also made it into the parliament
The voting results point to a need for coalition talks between pro-western parties — this shows how Romaniaʼs political landscape is getting more complex. The parliament now has a mix of traditional parties and new nationalist groups: some focusing on EU partnership others pushing for more independence
The election numbers suggest that even though pro-EU forces still lead theyʼll need to work together to form a working government. The rise of nationalist groups means theres going to be more voices in parliament speaking about different paths for Romaniaʼs future