Pro-Russia candidate takes shock lead in Romanian presidential election
Pro-Russian independent candidate Calin Georgescu has taken a surprise lead in the first round of presidential elections in Romania, ahead of pro-European prime minister Marcel Ciolacu.
With more than 98 per cent of votes counted, Georgescu was on 22.59 per cent, compared to 19.55 per cent for Ciolacu. A second round of voting takes place on 8 December.
Exit polls on Sunday evening reported that Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party had a narrow lead, but Georgescu moved ahead later in the evening. Elena Lasconi of the liberal-conservative reform party USR was in third while George Simion of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) was in fourth place.
The previously little-known Georgescu was a member of AUR but resigned after a dispute and stood as an independent. The 62-year-old attracted attention before the elections with his hard-right, pro-Russian and anti-Western views. Romania is a member of NATO and shares a 650km border with Ukraine.
The president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. Parliamentary elections are also due to be held on 1 December to decide the country’s government and prime minister.
A woman votes during the first round of the presidential elections at a polling station in Bucharest, Romania, 24 November 2024 © PHOTO CRISTIAN CRISTEL / XINHUA / ABACAPRESS.COM
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