Romania’s Election Shocker: Far-Right Surge Raises Specter of Russian Influence
On May 4, 2025, Romania’s presidential election delivered a stunning result: George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), secured 40.4% of the vote in the first round, leading the pack with partial results from 91% of ballots counted.
Trailing him is Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan, an independent reformist, with the pro-EU Crin Antonescu lagging further behind. With no candidate winning an outright majority, a runoff is set for May 18, likely pitting Simion against Dan.
This outcome, following the annulment of the November 2024 vote due to Russian interference, has reignited fears that Romanians may be forgetting the horrors of life under a Soviet-backed kleptocracy.
The 2024 election was voided after evidence surfaced of a Russian-orchestrated TikTok campaign boosting far-right candidate Călin Georgescu, who was later barred from the rerun due to probes into money laundering and voter bribery.
Simion, sharing Georgescu’s euroskeptic and anti-NATO rhetoric, has capitalized on public frustration with corruption, high food prices, and a sluggish 2.1% GDP growth rate in 2024. His 40% vote share reflects a polarized nation, where economic hardship and distrust in institutions fuel anti-establishment sentiment. AUR and allied far-right parties hold 113 seats in parliament, nearly matching the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL) coalition’s 135, signaling a broader nationalist surge.
Simion’s lead raises alarm bells. His opposition to EU integration, NATO commitments, and aid to Ukraine could weaken Romania’s role as a NATO eastern flank member, especially given its 381-mile border with Ukraine and hosting of the Aegis missile defense system.
While direct Russian backing for Simion lacks the documented proof seen with Georgescu, his Kremlin-aligned rhetoric stokes fears of indirect influence. Analysts warn that a Simion presidency could deter investment, isolate Romania within the EU, and destabilize its democracy, already strained by protests over the 2024 annulment.
Romania’s history under Soviet control from 1948 to 1989 looms large.
The Communist era, marked by repression, economic ruin, and kleptocracy under leaders like Nicolae Ceaușescu, saw citizens endure secret police surveillance and chronic shortages. The regime’s collapse in 1989, after a violent uprising, left a legacy of distrust in centralized power.
Yet, Simion’s promises of reform and anti-corruption resonate with those disillusioned by the PSD-PNL coalition, suggesting some Romanians may overlook the risks of nationalist populism tied to Russian sympathies.
The runoff will be pivotal. Dan’s reformist platform and Antonescu’s pro-EU stance contrast with Simion’s nationalism, but mainstream vote-splitting could favor the far-right. Victor Ponta, with 1.22 million first-round votes, may play kingmaker if he endorses a candidate. As Romania stands at a crossroads, the election underscores a troubling amnesia about the Soviet-era’s horrors.
The next two weeks will determine whether Romania reaffirms its Western alignment or veers toward a nationalist abyss, with implications for Europe’s security and stability.