Poll shows most Romanians would vote against removing president

More than half of Romanians would vote against dismissing President Nicușor Dan if a referendum on his removal from office were held, a new survey conducted by INSCOP Research said, Digi24 reports.

The poll found that 50.7% of respondents would vote against dismissing the president, while 44% said they would support his removal. Another 5.4% either declined to answer or said they were undecided.

According to INSCOP, excluding undecided respondents raises opposition to the president’s dismissal to 53.1%, compared with 46.9% in favor of removing him from office.

Support for dismissing Nicușor Dan was strongest among voters of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, where 77% backed the idea of a referendum leading to his removal. Higher support for dismissal was also recorded among respondents with primary education (63%), residents of rural areas (55%), and TikTok users (59%).

By contrast, opposition to dismissal was particularly strong among supporters of the National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union, both at 86%, as well as among voters of the Social Democratic Party at 59%.

The survey also showed that older respondents and urban voters were more likely to oppose the president’s removal. Among respondents aged over 60, 59% rejected the idea of dismissal, while opposition reached 73% among people with higher education. Residents of Bucharest opposed dismissal by 68%, while 61% of people living in large urban areas also said they would vote against it.

“The dismissal of President Nicușor Dan through a possible referendum does not have support in Romanian society, even when respondents are asked to consider a hypothetical scenario,” said Remus Ștefureac.

He added that fears of political instability in the tense electoral climate of 2024–2025 were strengthening public resistance to any move that could deepen uncertainty.

“In other words, despite the current political polarization, the prospect of such a major political rupture is consolidating electoral blocs and driving the population back toward the political alignments formed during the second round of the presidential election,” Ștefureac said.

The survey was conducted between May 11 and 14, 2026, using telephone interviews on a random sample of 1,100 adults. The poll carries a margin of error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level.

By Vafa Guliyeva