NATO deputy secretary-general leads latest Romanian presidential poll

5 months ago 28

NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană would win the first round of Romania’s presidential elections, scheduled for September 2024, according to an INSCOP poll released on Wednesday that echoed earlier polls that put Geoană ahead.

Conducted between 14 February and 5 March, the survey measures the popularity of possible key contenders for the upcoming presidential elections in September, as well as other important political figures.

A previous INSCOP from October also put Geoană ahead of other possible candidates, with a score of 25.3%.

According to the poll, based on voting intentions in the first round of the presidential elections, Geoană is estimated to secure 26%, followed closely by the Prime Minister and leader of the Social Democrat Party (PSD), Marcel Ciolacu, with 24%.

Laura Codruța Kovesi, the chief prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and Emil Boc, the mayor of Cluj city, would also rank high, the poll reads.

For the second round, the INSCOP poll predicts four hypothetical scenarios: Geoană would win regardless of whether he faces Ciolacu, Kovesi or Simion.

If both leaders of the ruling coalition make it to the second round, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is expected to triumph over current Senate President Nicolae Ciucă by a margin of 63% to 37%.

However, Ciolacu has recently expressed uncertainty about his candidacy, suggesting a decision will be made after the European elections in June.

Although Geoană has yet to declare his candidacy formally, he has hinted at his intentions on several occasions. NATO’s second-in-command revealed on Sunday that he is “increasingly inclined” to run for president.

“After I finish my job at NATO, I will decide, but I am more and more inclined to do it (to be a candidate)”, Geoană said in an interview with Digi24.

(Catalina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)