Trump’s ally’s presidential ambitions spark Romanian leadership crisis

as Romania's pro-European Union Prime Minister resigns

Romania has plunged deeper into political instability following the resignation of its pro-European Union Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu.

The move came after the ruling coalition’s presidential candidate suffered a significant defeat in a rerun election dominated by far-right contender George Simion, a vocal admirer of Donald Trump.

Ciolacu announced his resignation after a meeting at the headquarters of his Social Democratic Party (PSD), stating:

“Rather than let the future president replace me, I decided to resign myself.”

He added that the current ruling coalition, made up of the PSD, the centrist Liberals, and the ethnic Hungarian UDMR, had lost its legitimacy “at least in this formula.”

He also confirmed that while the PSD would withdraw from the coalition, cabinet ministers would stay on temporarily until a new governing majority can be negotiated after the decisive runoff vote on 18 May.

The catalyst for this political shake-up was Sunday’s first-round presidential vote.

In this round of votes, George Simion, a 38-year-old ultranationalist and leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), captured 40.96% of the vote.

Simion, known for wearing MAGA hats and espousing socially conservative and nationalist views, finished far ahead of his nearest rival, Bucharest’s mayor, Nicușor Dan.

The two will now face off in the runoff, with Simion’s growing popularity raising fears that Romania could follow Hungary and Slovakia in disrupting the EU’s internal unity.

The coalition’s candidate, Crin Antonescu, finished in third place, delivering a supposed harsh blow to the governing alliance.

This alliance was said to have been formed after the December elections to maintain Romania’s pro-Western, EU- and NATO-aligned course.

Simion’s AUR, along with two other nationalist, sovereigntist parties, now control over a third of Romania’s parliamentary seats.

This had reportedly made it difficult to form a majority government that excludes the far-right bloc.

Should Simion win the presidency, a government overhaul is likely.

This could significantly shift Romania’s foreign and domestic policy, including its stance on the EU and support for Ukraine, with which it shares a border.

A shift away from the EU mainstream would also be celebrated by nationalist factions in Europe and in the U.S.

These include Trump-aligned politicians like U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who had previously criticized Romania for allegedly undermining democracy by canceling the original presidential election.

Political scientist Cristian Pîrvulescu warned that a Simion presidency could create broader implications for Europe, stating,

“The problem now isn’t that Romania is in a hard place, but that the EU is, should George Simion win.”

Simion’s rise would strengthen the bloc of anti-EU leaders and further challenge Brussels’ authority.

Simion has cast his victory as a win for Romanian “dignity” and sovereignty.

Celebrating his lead in 36 of Romania’s 47 electoral districts and a dominant 61% share of the overseas vote, Simion declared:

“This is the victory of those who still believe in Romania as a free, respected, sovereign country.”

He stressed he would serve the people, not the political establishment, and outlined a vision of the EU as a federation of sovereign nations rather than a centralized authority.

Simion’s party, which originated as an anti-vaccination movement, has rapidly grown into Romania’s second-largest political force.

While he denies being far-right, Simion aligns his ideology with Trump’s political movement.

He has also openly advocated for an alliance of European countries modeled after the MAGA philosophy.

Though he criticizes Russia, he remains firmly opposed to military aid for Ukraine.

Facing him in the runoff is Nicușor Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician and founder of the Save Romania Union (USR),.

Dan has reportedly positioned himself as a pro-European, anti-corruption candidate.

He described the upcoming runoff as more than a personal contest, calling it “a debate between a pro-western direction for Romania and an anti-western direction.” However, Dan’s path to victory is uncertain.

Experts note that informal associations with the PSD and Liberals could deter their voter bases from backing him in the second round.

Romania’s presidency holds significant influence over foreign policy, national security, and defense spending.

Also, the president also represents the country in EU decision-making.

The November 2024 vote, which Simion’s campaign builds upon, was previously annulled.

This was after winning candidate, Călin Georgescu, was linked to Russian influence operations and placed under investigation for campaign finance violations and promoting fascist groups.

Georgescu, now barred from standing, has nonetheless been named by Simion as his pick for prime minister, should he win, either through a referendum, early elections, or a new coalition.

Simion’s rise marks a decisive shift in Romania’s political landscape and could have lasting repercussions both domestically and across the European Union.

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