Romania’s ruling coalition has announced plans to rerun the two-round presidential election on May 4 and May 18, reaffirming its decision to back a single candidate. The Liberal Party, one of the three coalition partners, confirmed the decision on Wednesday.
The move follows chaos during the initial election, where Calin Georgescu, a lesser-known far-right, pro-Russian figure, emerged victorious in the first round on November 24. Allegations of Russian interference led the top court to annul the results and mandate a complete rerun.
Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis will remain in office until the new election is held.
The coalition parties aim to unite behind one candidate to counter the far-right’s influence. Their current choice is Crin Antonescu, a former Liberal Party leader, though analysts suggest this decision could change.
The Liberals stated that the government would finalize the election schedule on Monday.
In the December 1 parliamentary election, three far-right parties secured around 35% of seats, reflecting public frustration with mainstream parties’ corruption and infighting. Additionally, crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in neighboring Ukraine have eroded voter confidence in centrist parties.
Romania’s president holds a semi-executive role, overseeing the armed forces, appointing judicial and security officials, and representing the country at EU and NATO summits.
The rise of far-right parties has raised concerns among Romania’s NATO allies, particularly as the country plays a key role in regional security. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Romania has facilitated the export of Ukrainian grain through its Black Sea port, trained Ukrainian fighter pilots, and provided Kyiv with a Patriot air defense system.
