While he only secured 20.99 per cent of the vote in the first round of the election earlier this month, compared to 40.96 for Simion, Dan benefitted from the nature of two-round European-style electoral systems, which typically favour the establishment over populist candidates as they allow centrists and the left to coalesce their vote in the second round around a single candidate, as, for example, has been deployed successfully to block anti-mass migration stalwart Marine Le Pen in France over the past decade. Dan has backed the continued support of the war in Ukraine and the expansion of the European Union into the Balkans, arguing that “Romania must be active enough both in the EU and in NATO to pursue its interests.” The move to block the popular candidate from the election sparked violent riots in the capital of Bucharest in March as supporters raged over the judiciary’s alleged interference in the political system.
Author: Kurt Zindulka, Kurt Zindulka
Published at: 2025-05-18 21:19:51
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