Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has cited it in his resignation. This announcement follows a sea change in the pro-democracy electoral landscape, not the least of which has been the appearance of far-right opposition leader George Simion. Simion’s party, the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), won nearly 41 percent of the vote in the AUR’s dramatic first round victory in Romania’s re-run presidential election held Sunday. Ironically, this strong result is what led to the decision.
The result is nothing short of transformational, with AUR support soaring. Since the last 2020 parliamentary elections, AUR has more than doubled its support! The party has promoted an agenda emphasizing “family, nation, faith, and freedom.” This strategy has clearly struck a chord with the Romanian public, who appear to be seeking an alternative to established political talking points.
Simion will now go up against Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan in a high-stakes second-round shootout set for May 18. “I am here to restore constitutional order,” Simion stated, positioning himself as a candidate for transformative change in Romania’s political landscape.
Ciolacu assured his resignation is a political maneuver to provide for an easier transition in leadership. “Rather than let the future president replace me, I decided to resign myself,” he remarked. His Social Democratic Party (PSD) now has gained the most seats in the December 1 parliamentary elections. Now, they will exit the three-party pro-Western coalition government that was formed with the centrist Liberals and the ethnic Hungarian UDMR.
The political consequences of this change are far-reaching. AUR, along with two other far-right parties, currently comprise over a third of Parliament’s largest party—an alarming far-right trend. This growing influence has alarmed analysts who caution that it threatens Romania’s important position within NATO and is scaring private investors away from the country. There are fears that a win for Simion would further marginalize Romania on the European stage.
Simion’s AUR party has been described as “perfectly aligned with the MAGA movement,” reflecting a broader trend among right-wing populist parties across Europe. This alignment prompts speculation about where Romania could find itself if the far-right takes full control of the government.
The coalition’s creation depended at first on the promise to appear as a single formatted front with one shared candidate for presidency. With Ciolacu’s resignation, the complexities of coalition governance have further intensified, leaving many observers uncertain about the future political landscape.
