Romania is on the verge of a decisive clash over the president's seat. We already know the authoritative results of the first circular of repeated presidential elections. The second circular is followed by the leader of the utmost right-wing opposition George Simion and the current mayor of Bucharest Nicosor Dan. This consequence is simply a surprise – earlier exit polls indicated that the candidate supported by the ruling coalition, Crin Antonescu, had a better chance of promotion.
The Permanent Election Office of Romania has already published almost full results – votes from all over the country and 99.9% of electoral commissions abroad have been counted. George Simion won 40.96 percent of the vote, clearly distancing rivals. Second place was taken by Nicosor Dan with a score of 20.99 percent by Crin Antonescu, who, according to the polls, had a chance for a second round, yet gained 20.07 percent support and fell out of the race.
The polls were incorrect about the favorites.
It is amazing that Dan’s exit polls on Sunday evening were almost equal to or beyond Antonescu. Meanwhile, the mayor of Bucharest – known for his moderate, pro-Western approach – will now be faced with the leader of AUR.
Strong declarations by candidates
– We'll do what the others feared. We will conduct a moral, political and economical reconstruction of Romania," announced George Simion just after the results were announced. His run was based on the support of Calin Georgesc's previously inadmissible candidate and protests against the annulment of November presidential elections.
Nicusor Dan, on the another hand, estimated that he would be faced with a "difficult second circular with an isolationist candidate". It's not a individual match. This will be a clash of visions – between Romania open to the West and the 1 turning distant from it – he announced.
Mobilising Romanians abroad
The election was characterized by exceptional activity of Romanian diaspora. Around 1 million citizens voted abroad. besides here, Simion won, winning over 60% of the vote. The second place came to Dan (25 percent). This consequence may substance in the second round, as the mobilisation of abroad voices frequently tilts the scales of victory.
Simion better than Georgescu in November
It is worth noting that George Simion achieved a much better consequence in the repeated elections than the winner of the cancelled November vote – Calin Georgescu, who then won 2.1 million votes. Simion has now gathered about 3.8 million votes. Almost 2 million Romanians voted for Dan.
