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The 2024 Romanian Presidential Election — Everything You Need to Know
Puppet candidates, protests, recounts, and a decision between NATO and Russia.
2024 was a big year for elections, with voters heading to the polls in at least 63 countries worldwide. Between a prosecutor and a criminal, Americans chose the latter as their president. In the U.K., the so-called labor party took power, but these are not the elections we’re about to cover today.
Instead, let us focus on probably the most important electoral process of the remainder of this year, the Romanian presidential elections — where a supposed puppet candidate went from anonymity to lead of the electoral race.
The stakes
You might be wondering why this election is so important, so let me remind you that Romania is one of Europe’s fastest growing economies, and a strategically important asset for NATO. Not only does Romania share a 613 km border with Ukraine, but it’s access to the Black Sea also allows the alliance to cut off Russian vessels from the Mediterranean.
Furthermore, multiple nationalist and anti-EU and NATO movements have been picking up speed since the last presidential election, which is clearest with the rise of the AUR or Alliance for the Union of Romanians party.
The first round
Romanian elections generally take place in two rounds, with the candidates who earn the most votes in the first one facing off to secure the leadership of the country.
Among the candidates we had the current prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who was projected to easily secure the first spot in the runoffs, given that his PSD or Social Democrat party has never failed to do so in all of Romania’s democratic history. The PSD is very unpopular with the youth, but has a strong following among public sector workers and retirees.
Most people agreed that the battle for the second spot would be fought between George Simion — of the aforementioned AUR party, and former TV host and mayor Elena Lasconi from the Union to Save Romania or USR party. The USR party…
