Romania's political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in Sunday's presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister.
Calin Georgescu, who ran as an independent for Romania's presidency, will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a runoff in two weeks time.
By this Monday morning, 62-year-old, pro-Russian Georgescu, was ahead after nearly all ballots were counted with almost 23 percent of the vote.
Elena Valerica Lasconi of the progressive Save Romania Union party followed with just over 19 percent, beating the incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party by a slim margin of only a fraction of a percentage point.
George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians garnered just under 14 percent.
It is the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-communist history for the Social Democrats not to have a candidate in the second round of a presidential race, serving a huge blow to the country’s most powerful party and underscoring voters’ anti-establishment sentiment.
'Prayer for the nation'
After polls closed on Sunday, 9.4 million people – over 52 percent of eligible voters – had cast their ballots, according to the Central Election Bureau.
The second round of the vote will be held on 8 December.
Romania's president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments.
After casting his ballot on Sunday, Georgescu said that he voted "For the unjust, for the humiliated, for those who feel they do not matter and actually matter the most … the vote is a prayer for the nation" he wrote in a post on Facebook.
"Tonight, the Romanian people cried out for peace. And they shouted very loudly, extremely loudly," he said.
Despite not having a clear political agenda, his videos on TikTok calling for an end to the aid for Ukraine are popular, amassing 1.7 million likes.
He has also sounded a sceptical note on Romania’s NATO membership.
According to his website, Georgescu holds a doctorate in pedology – a branch of soil science – and held different positions in Romania’s environment ministry in the 1990s.
Between 1999 and 2012, he was a representative for Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Programme.
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The Ukraine question
But Georgescu's rising popularity will be tested when he faces Lasconi in two weeks time.
Lasconi – a former journalist and the leader of the Save Romania Union – has been running on an anti-corruption reformist agenda.
Ahead of the vote, she told the media that she saw corruption as one of the biggest problems Romania faces and expressed support toward increased defence spending and continued aid to Ukraine.
The stakes are high for Romania, which has a 650-kilometre border with Ukraine and has become more important since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022.
The Black Sea nation plays a vital strategic role for NATO – as it is a base for more than 5,000 soldiers – and the transit of Ukrainian grain, the New Strategy Center think tank said.
If Lasconi wins the final vote, she will be the first female president in Romania's history.
Romania will also hold parliamentary elections on 1 December that will determine the country’s next government and prime minister.
