2024 Presidential Election Update

The latest update on the presidential election

Newsroom, 25.11.2024, 06:20

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – After counting approximately 98% of total votes, the first round of the presidential election in Romania was surprisingly won by Călin Georgescu, an independent candidate, accused of supporting Russia and eulogizing representatives of the Romanian far-right in the inter-war period. Georgescu grabbed 22.83% of total votes, with large numbers in the Diaspora and the capital-city Bucharest as well.

Some 16 thousand votes separate the candidates in second and third place respectively, Social-Democrat leader, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, with 19.27%, and the leader of Save Romania Union (USR), Elena Lasconi, with 19.08% The leader of the ultranationalist and populist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, George Simion, came in fourth in 13.89%, followed by the president and candidate of the National Liberal Party, former Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă with 8.82%.

Over 9.4 million Romanians, accounting for over 52% of people on permanent lists, cast their votes on Sunday. Around 800 thousand Romanians also voted abroad. The difference between urban and rural areas was approximately 2 million votes. A total of 13 candidates enrolled in the race, 9 backed by political parties and 4 independent candidates. The second round of the presidential election is slated for December 8, while the parliamentary election will be held on December 1, the National Day of Romania.