An underdog right-wing politician who opposes funding for Ukraine stunned Romania’s political establishment Sunday, securing a plurality in the country’s first round of presidential elections.
Independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who was polling in single digits before the election, won 22.95% of the vote and edged out center-right opponent Elena Lasconi with 19.2%, Reuters reported. The results defied expectations that Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu would lead the race, instead positioning two conservative candidates for a Dec. 8 runoff.
Georgescu, a former member of the right-wing populist Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), left the party after senior officials criticized his views on Russia and NATO, the outlet separately reported.
“I voted for the unjust, for the humiliated, for those who feel that they do not matter in this world and they are the ones that matter!” Georgescu said in a Facebook post after casting his ballot. “Today, the vote is a prayer for the nation.”
Georgescu campaigned primarily on TikTok and leveraged the platform to propel him from political obscurity, according to EuroNews. He also holds a doctorate in soil science and represented Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Program from 1999 to 2012.
His runoff opponent, Lasconi, advocates for continued Ukrainian support and increased defense spending. If elected, she would become Romania’s first female president.
Georgescu has called for halting aid to Ukraine, according to France 24. Romania shares a 400-mile border with the country.
“We have to talk about peace,” Georgescu said in an interview.
🇷🇴 This is Călin Georgescu’s stance, the leading presidential candidate in Romania, on the war between Russia and Ukraine pic.twitter.com/ICHEdaHUAJ
— Daily Romania (@daily_romania) November 25, 2024
“I’m talking about our country. You are talking about other countries that is none of our business,” he said.
Georgescu has faced accusations of being “pro-Russia,” though he has denied any support or connections to the country, according to Libertatia, a local outlet. He has also drawn criticism for reportedly praising contentious Romanian World War II-era leaders, including Marshal Ion Antonescu and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.
He campaigned on supporting Romanian farmers and increasing domestic food and energy production, RadioFreeEurope reported.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
