Based on the processing of more than 90 percent of the votes, Călin Georgescu, who ran as an independent, is in the first place in the first round of the Romanian presidential election with 22 percent. Marcel Ciolacu, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), received about 20 percent of the votes in the contest.
Update
According to the results at eight o’clock in the morning, with 99.85 percent processed, Călin Georgescu’s first place is not threatened, he is in the lead with 22.91 percent.
The close battle for second place continues and ends between Marcel CIolacu and Elena Lascomi: the former stood at 19.18 percent, the latter at 9.15 percent, the difference was 3,340 votes in total.
According to real-time data published by the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), independent candidate Călin Georgescu took the lead in the first round of the presidential election with more than 91 percent of the vote counting protocols processed, with 22.9 percent of the votes.
The second is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcel Ciolacu, who won 20.76 percent of the votes, and the third is the candidate of the Save Romania Association (USR), Elena Lasconi, with 17.23 percent.
However, during the counting of votes cast abroad, the difference between Ciolacu and Lasconi decreases (less than 150,000 in favor of the incumbent prime minister), so it cannot be ruled out that Georgescuval, not the PSD candidate, but the USR candidate, will make it to the second round. If only because the voting is still taking place in the United States and Canada, which will only end on Monday morning according to Romanian time. Aware of this, USR politicians appealed to Romanian voters living overseas to support Elena Lasconi with their votes, to prevent Romania from “falling into the hands of a Putinist or a PSD politician”.
14.35 percent of voters voted for the candidate of the Association for the Unification of Romanians (AUR), George Simion, the candidate of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Nicolae Ciucă, 9.2 percent of the votes, the independent candidate Mircea Geoană, 6.09 percent, Kelemen Hunor (RMDSZ ) received 5 percent, and Cristian Diaconescu, also running as an independent, received 3 percent.
The following order: Cristian Terheş (Romanian National Conservative Party) – 1%, Ana Birchall (independent) – 0.4%, Ludovic Orban (Strength of the Right) – 0.23%, Sebastian Constantin Popescu (New Romania Party) – 0, 17%, Alexandra Păcuraru (Alternative for National Dignity party) – 0.17%, Silviu Predoiu (National Action League party) – 0.12%.
In addition to processing more than 55 percent of the votes cast in the diaspora, Călin Georgescu also leads abroad with 39 percent (123,000 votes), followed by Elena Lasconi with 28.53 percent (90,159 votes), and George Simion with 12 percent.
By the way, Călin Georgescu ran as an independent in the presidential election, none of the surveys published during the campaign measured the support of the politician who professes sovereignist ideals to be this high, and he was not among the six most supported candidates. After the 2020 parliamentary elections, he recommended Georgescu to the prime ministership of the newly-represented, ultra-nationalist Association for the Unification of Romanians (AUR). The 62-year-old Georgescu graduated from the University of Agricultural Sciences and holds a doctorate in pedology (soil science).
The development of the official results of the first round of the head of state election can be followed based on the vote count on the website of the Permanent Election Authority (AEP):
we wrote earlier
How might the unexpected popularity of Călin Georgescu, a candidate focused on sovereignist ideals, impact Romania’s relationship with the European Union and NATO in the coming years?
## World Today News Interview: Romanian Presidential Election
**Host:** Welcome back to World Today News. We’re here today discussing the shocking results of the first round of the Romanian presidential election. Joining me are two distinguished experts: Dr. Mihai Popescu, a political analyst specializing in Romanian politics, and Professor Anamaria Vlad, a renowned expert on electoral trends in Eastern Europe.
**Section 1: The Surprise Frontrunner – Călin Georgescu**
* **Host:** Dr. Popescu, Călin Georgescu, an independent candidate who wasn’t even among the top six contenders in pre-election polls, has taken a commanding lead. What factors might have contributed to this unexpected surge in his popularity?
* **Dr. Popescu:**
* **Host:** Professor Vlad, Georgescu’s platform emphasizes sovereignist ideals and gained the support of voters disillusioned with traditional parties.
Do you see this result as a sign of a broader shift in Romanian political landscape towards populism and nationalism?
* **Professor Vlad:**
**Section 2: The Battle for Second Place: Ciolacu vs Lasconi**
* **Host:** The race for second place is incredibly tight between Marcel Ciolacu of the PSD and Elena Lasconi of the USR. Professor Vlad, Lasconi has voiced concerns about Romania “falling into the hands of a Putinist” if Ciolacu wins. How are external political factors influencing the Romanian electorate?
* **Professor Vlad:**
* **Host:** Dr. Popescu, with votes still being counted abroad, particularly in the US and Canada, could this lead to a shift in the standings between Ciolacu and Lasconi?
* **Dr. Popescu:**
**Section 3: The Impact of the Diaspora Vote**
* **Host:** The diaspora vote appears to be playing a crucial role in this election. Interestingly, Georgescu leads in this demographic as well. Professor Vlad, what does this tell us about the concerns and aspirations of Romanians living abroad?
* **Professor Vlad:**
**Section 4: Looking Ahead to the Second Round**
* **Host:** Dr. Popescu, whichever candidate makes it to the second round against Georgescu will face a tough challenge. What kind of campaign strategies might we expect to see?
* **Dr. Popescu:**
* **Host:** The second round of voting is approaching. This election has thrown up many surprises.
What would you say are the most important takeaways from the first round?
* **Professor Vlad:**
* **Dr. Popescu:**
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your insights on this compelling election. We’ll be sure to follow developments and provide further analysis as they unfold.
This interview format utilizes open-ended questions, encouraging discussion and allowing for different perspectives. By dividing the interview into thematic sections, it explores key aspects of the election in a structured and engaging manner.
