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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.
