Anti-Western candidate Călin Georgescu wins first round of Romanian elections

The Central Election Commission of Romania shared the results.

According to the report, Georgescu and Ciolacu will compete in the second round, which will take place in two weeks.

Read also: Romania's presidential election heats up: Battle for second place could decide everything

The leader of Romania's leading opposition party, the pro-Western, pro-Ukrainian liberal "Save Romania Union" (USR), Elena Lasconi, placed third with 19.16%.

Among the other candidates, the ultranationalist George Simion, who promised to stop Romania's aid to Ukraine and called former U.S. President Donald Trump his inspiration, finished fourth with 13.86% of the vote.

Bloomberg reports that parliamentary elections will be held in Romania next week, which "could further reshape the country's political landscape." Ciolacu seeks to strengthen his position in parliament after the coalition with the Liberal Party broke down.

Analysts note that the upcoming administration will face new challenges, including inflation and social spending, which will negatively impact Romania's budgetary situation. The issue of support for Ukraine, crucial for regional security, will also remain on the agenda.

Although the presidency in Romania is largely ceremonial, the winner of the election will become the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the country's representative at key international forums, including NATO and the EU.

• On Sunday, November 24, the first round of voting in the presidential elections began in Romania. A total of 18,008,480 voters were registered.