Repeated presidential elections underway in Romania

Romania is holding the first round of its repeat presidential election today, with 11 candidates vying for the presidency. The rerun comes after the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the previous vote held in November 2024, citing evidence of foreign interference.

Polls suggest that the frontrunner is George Simion, leader of the ultranationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). Simion is a vocal proponent of unifying Romania and Moldova—a stance that has led to his ban from entering Moldova. He is also designated persona non grata in Ukraine. The nationalist candidate is known for his Eurosceptic rhetoric and homophobic remarks.

The annulled 2024 election was initially won by independent right-wing candidate Călin Georgescu. However, Romania’s Constitutional Court invalidated the result, citing intelligence reports suggesting Russian interference in the first round of the vote.

Georgescu is currently facing six criminal investigations, including charges of affiliation with a fascist organization and providing false information about campaign financing. He has denied all allegations.