Romania: The far-right consolidates ahead of runoff elections on 18 May, as the presidential campaign unfolds without significant violence — Expert Comment

Romania’s far-right-backed Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) leader George Simion took 40.96% of the vote in the presidential election on 4 May, leading to a runoff scheduled for 18 May. The current vote follows previous elections, held 24 November 2024, that were annulled by Romania’s Constitutional Court, which accused the winner, Călin Georgescu, of illegal campaign financing¹ and coordinated disinformation involving an external “state actor.”² Georgescu, who is also being investigated for allegedly creating a fascist organization and plotting anti-constitutional acts, among other charges,³ was excluded from the 4 May rerun. Although the annulment of the vote led to an eruption of protests instigated by far-right parties, the demonstrations remained largely peaceful.

Cristian Vlas, Eastern Europe’s Assistant Research Manager with ACLED, said:

“ACLED data show a significant increase in the number of demonstrations led by the far-right AUR and Party of Young People following the annulled elections. We recorded nearly 50 demonstrations between 6 December 2024 and 9 May 2025, compared to just three in the five months leading up to the November election. At least three protests led by far-right groups escalated into riots targeting government buildings. That said, most demonstrations remained peaceful, and protestors’ demands focused on resuming the second round of the annulled elections and allowing Georgescu to run again. Despite a call by a mercenary chief for an armed revolt,⁴ the general lack of violence revealed by ACLED data points to far-right confidence and a preference to appeal to undecided voters. In comparison to the 49 protests led by far-right groups across the country, only 10 robust pro-EU and anti-extremism rallies have taken place in larger cities.”

“Many factors contributed to the far right’s ability to mobilize voters and protesters. Growing economic inequality, disenchantment with integration into the European Union, unease about aid to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, and polarization around the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions — all facilitated through online disinformation channels — shook the country’s traditionally pro-EU and Russia-skeptic stance in foreign policy. While the governing coalition partners and other presidential candidates tried to adopt a sovereignty-focused discourse appealing to Georgescu’s voters in the rerun, polling shows that Simion, who picked up support from banned Georgescu, is nevertheless ahead of Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan, a pro-EU moderate.”

Note for editors: For more information or to interview Cristian Vlas, please contact Gina Dorso at [email protected].

ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) is an independent, impartial, international non-profit organization collecting data on violent conflict and protest in all countries and territories in the world.