Romania's presidential rerun: Far-right candidate set to challenge pro-Western path

Romania will hold a rerun of its presidential election on May 4, six months after the original vote was marred by scandal and controversy.

The election is expected to be pivotal, with ultranationalist candidate George Simion leading in the polls and poised to challenge the country's pro-Western trajectory, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.

Simion, 38, has gained significant traction with his anti-EU, anti-Ukraine military aid stance, positioning himself as a "natural ally" of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The far-right politician’s rise has sparked concerns about Romania’s future within both the European Union and NATO, especially as the country shares a border with Ukraine.

The initial vote, held last November, was annulled by Romania’s constitutional court following evidence of a "massive" Russian influence campaign. According to declassified intelligence documents, Russian operatives carried out cyber-attacks on Romania's electoral system and manipulated social media in favor of Călin Georgescu, a Moscow-friendly, far-right candidate who surged from single digits in the polls to win the first round with 23% of the vote.

The court’s decision to cancel the election was met with criticism from far-right figures around the world, including former Trump administration officials, who accused the Romanian authorities of undermining free speech and the democratic process. U.S. Vice President JD Vance condemned the move, suggesting that Romania had "cancelled elections because you don’t like the result."

Georgescu, who denies the allegations, was placed under investigation in February for alleged campaign finance violations and promoting fascist groups. In March, he was barred from standing in the rerun.

As Romanians go to the polls today, the outcome of the election will have far-reaching implications, not only for Romania’s political future but also for the broader geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe. A far-right victory could push Romania further away from its pro-Western alignment and shift it toward a more isolationist stance, potentially disrupting the EU and NATO's cohesion at a time of heightened tension with Russia.

By Khagan Isayev