The pro-Russian independent Calin Georgescu creates a surprise and comes first in the first round of the presidential election this Sunday, November 24. Given a time lead in the first round of the presidential election according to exit polls, pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu comes second. The score between the two candidates is close.
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It’s a surprise Romania. With almost 90% of the ballots counted, the independent pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, to whom the polls gave 10% of the votes when the polling stations closed, comes first in the first round of the presidential election in Romania with 22.04 % of votes. He is followed very closely by the pro-European Prime Minister with 21.22% of the votes, given favorite by polling institutes at the exit of the polls.
Elena Lasconi, a former journalist who converted to politics, came third with 16.5% of the votes. The nationalist George Simion comes in fourth position with 14.52%.
“ The Romanian people shouted for peace »
“ Tonight the Romanian people cried out for peace. And he shouted very loudly, extremely loudly », Reacted Calin Georgescu, as the results were cast in his favor.
After the closing of the polling stations, during the first projections, Marcel Ciolacu, 56, called for caution, while thanking his voters and to wait for the complete count to find out who he will face on December 8. Elena Lasconi also called for caution. “ The scores are very close, it’s not time to celebrate yet “, she declared at the start of the evening.
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George Simion, however, did not admit defeat. He promised “ two more battles », during the legislative elections on December 1st and a week later for the second round of the presidential election.
A ” fratricidal war » between George Simion and Calin Georgescu
Sergio Miscoiu, university professor of political science at the Faculty of European Studies in Cluj-Napoca in Romania, notes above all the great defeat of the nationalist candidate George Simion, whom many thought qualified for the second round.
“ The big surprise is Calin Georgescu won the votes of George Simion, anticipated for ages as the second man in this election. It is above all a fratricidal war which harms a more established fringe “, he explains.
“ The far right is in fact the main political force in the country », underlines Sergio Miscoiu. “ If we add up the votes of these two gentlemen, they are at more than 30%, the social democratic camp is also at 30% and the classic right is also at 30%. It’s a real breakthrough. Georgescu will try to transform the test into the legislative elections. »
Sergio Miscoiu, university professor of political science at the Faculty of European Studies in Cluj-Napoca, Romania
It is an upheaval for this country of 19 million inhabitants which has until now resisted nationalist postures, distinguishing itself from Hungary or Slovakia.
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