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Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned and his social-democratic party must leave the government after a right-wing nationalist candidate has won the first round of the presidential election.
George Simion, a Euroceptic who promised to put Romania in first place, won 40.9% of Sunday’s vote and is expected to win a run-off mood on 18 May.
He will come across the mayor of the Liberal Bucharest Nicu doesor, who narrowly defeated the candidate for the Social -Democrat (PSD).
Ciolacu told party supporters that, since the coalition had not achieved its goal and “has no credibility after the Romanian mood, I will propose that PSD will leave this coalition”.
His party had only come to power in a pro-EU coalition after elections on December 1, 2024, although the extreme right-wing party of George Simion, together with two other groups, had put on a third of the votes.
Simion’s victory was largely driven by popular frustration in the annulment of presidential elections at the end of last year. His likely success on May 18 is nervous in European capitals, as well as in Kiev. He said he wants an EU of strong, sovereign nations.
Ciolacu is now expected to explore his resignation to interim president Ilie Bolojan, who will then designate a caretaker prime minister.
Bolojan himself took on the role of interim president last February because of the scandal surrounding the annulment of the presidential vote.
