A right-wing nationalist candidate who is against providing military support for Ukraine and is sceptical about the EU has won a resounding victory in the first round of the presidential election in Romania. George Simion came first with 40.96% of the vote, and will go into the runoff on 18 May as the clear favourite against the liberal mayor of Bucharest.Nicusor Dan narrowly beat Crin Antonescu, candidate of the governing coalition, with just under 21% of the vote.Six months ago, the presidential election in Romania ended in scandal and confusion. It was won by a radical outsider with mystical leanings, Calin Georgescu, but that result was annulled over allegations of campaign fraud and Russian interference.After the polls closed on Sunday, Simion thanked those who voted for him. “It was an act of courage, trust and solidarity,” he said in a recorded message.”This election is not about one candidate or another, but about every Romanian who has been lied to, ignored, humiliated, and still has the strength to believe and defend our identity and rights,” Simion posted on X on Friday. Simion’s support was especially strong in the Romanian diaspora. He secured more than 70% of votes in Italy, Spain and Germany where Romanians largely do blue-collar work. Simion, 38, is an admirer of US President Donald Trump and says he wants an EU of strong, sovereign nations. He told the BBC he believed in a strong Nato and was in favour of keeping Nato bases and US troops in Romania, if he becomes president. However, he hinted he believed Nato had been too pro-active in its support of Ukraine.Many of the voters who backed Georgescu in the annulled election last year are thought to have switched their allegiance to Simion, and the two men voted together on Sunday.In the second round, Simion could also attract voters who backed fourth-placed former pr …
