In the high-stakes second round of elections that will have an impact on Romania’s geopolitical direction, polls started at 7am local time (42:00 GMT) and will close at 9pm.
The first round of the presidential election saw the fall of a pro-Western coalition government, which was led by hard-right nationalist George Simion, 38, who opposes military aid to neighboring Ukraine and is critical of EU leadership. Significant capital outflows resulted from this.
In December, Romania’s top court disputed Russian interference allegations, and the results were canceled. In order to replace Simion, who has a self-proclaimed supporter of US President Donald Trump, Simion was also disqualified from the court.
Nicusor Dan, 55, a centrist mayor of Bucharest and staunch supporter of the EU and NATO, is in a fight with Simion. He claimed that Romania’s support of Ukraine is crucial to its own security in the face of a growing Russian threat.
In a tight race that will depend on turnout and the sizable Romanian diaspora, according to an opinion poll conducted on Friday, Dan is slightly ahead of Simion for the first time since the first round.
“Clinton between nationalist populism and a centralist”
Sonia Gallego, a journalist from Bucharest, claimed that this election is being portrayed as a confrontation between nationalist populism and a centralist.
The longest border among EU members is between Romania, an EU and NATO member, and Ukraine, which is also divided. Additionally, she said, “it is also one of the bloc’s most vulnerable.”
Some analysts have also warned that there is still a lot of online misinformation ahead of the election on Sunday.
Political analyst Elena Calistru stated to Al Jazeera, “We have to look at what is happening online. And there is a lot of false information there.
“Many people have displayed coordinated, unauthentic behavior. She claimed that there has been a lot of foreign interference in our elections.
“Pro-European president”
The country’s president has a lot of authority, not the least of which is that it is the council that decides military aid. He will also be able to veto EU decisions that require unanimous consent.
Public employee Daniela Plesa, 62, complained that “the European Union demands and demands” and that she wanted a president to “promote the interests of the nation.”
Andreea Nicolescu, a 30-year-old advertising employee, wished for “a little calm” and “a pro-European president.”
In anticipation of the elections, riots of tens of thousands of people demanded that the nation maintain its pro-EU position.
The decision to rig the vote last year and the subsequently ban of far-right candidate Georgescu have been condemned by other protests, which have drawn thousands of people.
The Trump administration criticized the cancellation, and Simion has stated that Georgescu will be his choice as his prime minister. Georgescu is in favor of nationalization and openness toward Russia.
Poland also casts its ballot in the opening round of the presidential election, which is expected to be led by pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and conservative historian Karol Nawrocki.
Source: Aljazeera
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