Romanian leftists ahead of resurgent far-right in election

Ruling leftist Social Democrats looked set to win most votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election, defeating a resurgent far-right movement

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Posters ahead of the country’s December 1 parliamentary elections. Photo: AP

Published: 10:26am, 1 Dec 2024Updated: 7:07am, 2 Dec 2024

Romania’s ruling leftist Social Democrats (PSD) looked set to win the most votes in a parliamentary election on Sunday, fending off a resurgent far-right movement that challenges the country’s pro-Western orientation, partial results showed.

The vote is the second of three consecutive ballots for both a new parliament and a new president, after the first round of the presidential election on November 24 saw an independent far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, emerge from relative obscurity to become the front runner.

His unexpected win ushered in support for ultranationalist, hard-right parties, some with overt pro-Russian sympathies, which could undermine Romania’s backing for Ukraine and open the way for illiberal policies, political analysts said.

Independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu speaks to the media after casting his vote in Romania’s parliamentary elections, in Mogosoaia, Romania on Sunday. Photo: AP

If final results confirm the early count, a pro-Western coalition led by the PSD would be likely to have enough seats in parliament to form a government, although the far-right would be a substantial force in the legislature.

However, ballots first to be counted do not include the preferences of the hundreds of thousands of Romanians working abroad, who are expected to favour far-right groupings and a centrist opposition party led by presidential runner-up Elena Lasconi.

In addition, a broad coalition would be difficult to form amid disagreements over the measures needed to rein in the country’s gaping budget deficit, now the highest in the EU at 8 per cent of economic output.

Sergiu Miscoiu, a political-science professor at Babes-Bolyai University, said the PSD would be likely to play a central part in coalition talks.

But the results pointed to “the most fragmented political spectrum since 1990”, he said, in a reflection of deepening social divisions in Romania, which has some of the European Union’s poorest regions.