Romanian presidential drama has Trump in the background

The repeat presidential elections in Romania brought a clear victory in the first round for the far-right politician George Simion. With more than 40 percent of the vote, he is on track to win overall. Voters clearly showed that they did not like the annulment of the presidential election results last fall, when the Constitutional Court disqualified the then first-round winner of the election, Calin Georgesc, arguing about Russian interference. Since then, Simion's support has increased sharply. On the other hand, the social democratic Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned. The coalition candidate Crina Antonescu came third in the presidential election, which was assessed as a loss of legitimacy of the government.

The Romanian newspaper Adevărul noted that these elections are perhaps the strangest in modern Romanian history: society is more divided than ever before and expressed concern about "the anger of the people" due to the annulment of the election last year.

This is apparently the beginning of another political drama that is connected to current developments in Europe and transatlantic relations. Simion is a supporter of Donald Trump's policies, which also applies to his party, the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which has the second largest number of seats in parliament. He also considers Trump's ally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as his political role model. He has even called for the "melonization" of Europe.

The key question is whether Romania will become another member of the Union with a de facto anti-Ukrainian orientation. Last year, Kiev banned Simion from entering Ukraine for three years for "systematic anti-Ukrainian activity." He rejects such accusations, saying that he is not anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian, but pro-Romanian. Neighboring Moldova also sees him as a threat to national security.

The winner of the first round condemned the cancellation of last year's presidential election and promised that if he wins, he will appoint Georgesc to a leading position in the state.

There is no doubt that events in Romania are also being closely monitored in Washington. The harsh criticism of the canceled presidential elections by US President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference in February is still fresh in our minds. There is no doubt that Trump would now welcome his next ally in Europe.

Washington is now unabashedly torpedoing this by supporting political forces opposed to the "traditional parties". One only needs to recall the criticism of the ban on Marine Le Pen's political activities in France or the protests against the labeling of the Alternative for Germany as right-wing extremist. Vance said that "bureaucrats are rebuilding the Berlin Wall" and Secretary of State Marco Rubio assessed the labeling as "tyranny in disguise".

The rift between Europe and the US is currently widening, in addition to tariffs and access to Ukraine and Russia. Romania is another test.

Miloš Balabán, Právo Daily