Independent Calin Georgescu wins first round of Romania’s presidential election

Independent candidate Calin Georgescu has emerged victorious in the first round of Romania's presidential election, according to official results posted by the Permanent Electoral Administration after the processing of 100% of ballots. Georgescu received 22.94% of the vote, leading the race.

Elena Lasconi, leader of the centre-right Union for the Salvation of Romania party, secured second place with 19.18%, while the Prime Minister and leader of the Social Democratic Party, Marcel Ciolacu, followed closely in third with 19.15% of the vote, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Georgescu also dominated among Romanians living abroad, winning 43.35% of the votes in this segment. Lasconi came second with 26.82%, while George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Unification of Romanians, placed third with 12.07%.

Since no candidate secured the required 50% plus one vote to win outright, a second round of voting will take place on December 8, with Georgescu and Lasconi advancing to the next stage.

This marks the first time since the fall of Communist Party leader Nicolae Ceaușescu in 1989 that no Social Democrat has made it to the second round of the Romanian presidential election.

Calin Georgescu, 62, known as the "Romanian Trump," is an agronomist by training. He gained prominence in the mid-2000s when he led a department at Romania’s Foreign Ministry before holding various environmental roles at the United Nations. Though nominated multiple times for the position of prime minister due to his expertise in sustainable development, he was never appointed. Georgescu has faced controversy for his refusal to condemn the Legionnaires' movement, a fascist organization from pre-war Romania, and Marshal Ion Antonescu, Romania's head of state during World War II. His political views have led to accusations of sympathizing with war criminals. Georgescu was briefly a member of the nationalist party Alliance for the Unification of Romanians but later distanced himself from it.

Georgescu's economic platform, named "Food, Water, Energy," proposes an innovative approach to development, including the creation of people’s banks, cooperatives for production and consumption, and worker-owned enterprises.

Elena Lasconi, 52, the mayor of Câmpulung Muscel, transitioned from a career in journalism at Pro-TV to local politics, where she has built a successful career. In 2024, she became the leader of the Union for the Salvation of Romania and entered the presidential race. Her platform includes a variety of populist reforms, though she has faced criticism for alleged incompetence, which she attributes to misogyny. Lasconi has expressed strong support for Ukraine, declaring her commitment to stand with the country "for as long as it takes". Her critics have often referred to her as "Kamala from Câmpulung," drawing comparisons to US Vice President Kamala Harris.

In Romania, there is growing concern among right-wing factions, urging them to unite against Georgescu, whom they view as a controversial candidate. Many believe the barrage of accusations against him is part of an effort to discredit his candidacy and galvanize support for Lasconi in the upcoming second round on December 8.

By Tamilla Hasanova