A far-right populist and a reformist will face off in Romania’s presidential run-off

Independent Calin Georgescu faces reformist Elena Lasconi on December 8. PM Marcel Ciolacu has resigned as Social Democrats’ leader

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Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. Photo: Octav Ganea / DIGI24 / Inquam Photos / AFP

Published: 4:42am, 26 Nov 2024

Romania’s political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister.

Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a December 8 run-off.

Georgescu, 62, was ahead after nearly all ballots were counted with around 22.95 per cent of the vote.

Lasconi, of the progressive Save Romania Union party, or USR, followed with 19.17 per cent. She beat by a slim margin incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party, or PSD, who stood at 19.15 per cent. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians took 13.87 per cent.

Elena Lasconi, leader of the USR (Save Romania Union) party and presidential candidate, waves a Romanian flag in front of supporters in Bucharest, Romania on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

It is the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-Communist history for the PSD not to have a candidate in the second round of a presidential race, serving a huge blow to the country’s most powerful party and underscoring voters’ anti-establishment sentiment. Ciolacu’s shocking defeat prompted him to submit his resignation as party leader on Monday.

After polls closed on Sunday, 9.4 million people – about 52.5 per cent of eligible voters – had cast ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau. Georgescu won 43.3 per cent of the vote in Romania’s large diaspora, compared with Lasconi who got 26.8 per cent.