In Romania a political race is heating up as the country gets ready for its presidential election. Marcel Ciolacu‚ the current Prime Minister is in the lead according to recent polls (conducted 10/11-10/16/2024)
The election which is set to happen in two rounds (11/24 and 12/8/2024) is drawing attention because of its potential impact on Romanias foreign policy – especially its stance on supporting Ukraine. With 14 candidates vying for the top spot‚ the competition is fierce
Ciolacu‚ whos 56 years old is getting 26% of the vote in the first round. George Simion‚ who leads a hard-right group called Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR) is coming in second with 17%. Other candidates like Mircea Geoana‚ Nicolae Ciuca‚ and Elena Lasconi are close behind with around 15% each
Interestingly‚ the rise of Simion in the polls comes after a court decision that stopped Diana Sosoaca‚ another far-right leader from running. This decision has split public opinion right down the middle
The survey also looked at the parliamentary election (happening on 12/1/2024). It shows Ciolacus Social Democrats in the lead with 31%‚ followed by the center-right Liberals at 20%‚ AUR at 18%‚ and USR at 15%
If Ciolacu wins‚ itʼll be a big deal – the Social Democrats havent had a president since way back in 2004. But analysts think heʼs got a good shot at beating Simion in the second round by appealing to voters in the middle
As Romania (a member of the EU and NATO) chooses its new leader‚ the world will be watching to see how it affects their support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia