site.btaRomanian Political Scientist: If Simion Wins Presidential Elections, Country Will Enter Illiberal Pro-Russian Camp

If nationalist leader George Simion wins the presidential elections in Romania, the country will move closer to the Hungarian scenario and will enter the illiberal pro-Russian camp, Claudiu Craciun, professor of political science at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest, told BTA in an exclusive interview.

If Simion wins, Craciun expects a big shift in Romania's foreign policy. According to the latest opinion polls, the leader of the nationalist party Alliance for the Union of Romanians will make it to the runoff and will face the current Prime Minister and Social Democratic Party (SDP) President, Marcel Ciolacu.

Craciun does not rule out surprises on election day, as the margin between the main candidates is too small. 

"It seems that Romanians expect a lot from the president, maybe too much given his constitutional prerogatives. I think Romania needs an inclusive head of State who does not maintain privileged ties with just one party. Romanian society is plural, bridges need to be made to all groups", the expert said.

Asked what he attributes the big drop in the result of the independent candidate Mircea Geoana, who was initially the favourite for the presidential elections in all polls, the political scientist pointed to two reasons - his long and controversial political career and the lack of a party to support him.

"The big mistake of the independent candidate Mircea Geoana is that he has not built a political movement to enter parliament with," Craciun argued. 

He assessed the electoral campaign as "short and personalized", without clear political programmes. As for the electoral calendar, he said it was designed by the two major parties and former coalition partners, the SDP and the National Liberal Party (PNL), to maximize their chances of victory.

"The continuation of the current alliance between the SDP and PNL seems the most likely option after the December 1 parliamentary elections, but it all depends on the number, strength and agenda of the parties that make it to parliament," Craciun noted.

He also commented on the first LGBTQ+ candidate in the Romanian parliamentary elections.

"This is an extraordinary signal of normality. I hope in four years we will see more candidates from this community, in all parties," the expert adds. 

Romania's presidential elections will be held in two rounds, on November 24 and December 8, while the parliamentary elections are scheduled for December 1.