Romanian far-right leader first to announce candidacy for presidency

3 months ago 12

Romanian right-wing populist and nationalist AUR leader George Simion on Saturday became the first politician to announce his candidacy for the Romanian presidency, expressing his desire to serve all Romanians and strongly criticising Austria for blocking full Schengen membership to Romania.

The Social Democrats and the Liberals have yet to nominate their candidates. Initially, the two parties considered presenting a joint candidate. However, recent statements suggest that both parties prefer to have their own candidates.

There is also speculation about NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, who has neither confirmed nor denied his intention to run. Over the past year, Geoană has held several conferences in Romania to discuss the country’s future and the need for a “historic leap in development”.

According to the latest INSCOP poll published on 30 May, 23.7% of Romanians would vote for Geoană in the first round of the presidential elections, followed by 18.2% for Marcel Ciolacu (PSD), 13.5% for George Simion (AUR), 12.5% for Diana Şoşoacă (SOS Romania), and 11.5% for Nicolae Ciucă, the leader of the Liberals. The poll suggests that Geoană would win decisively in a second round against any potential opponent.

“I kept hearing that the president of Romania is chosen from somewhere across the ocean, from the embassies. I think it’s time for it to be as we want, not just as others want,” Simion said after his nomination at the party’s congress on Saturday.

“I heard who the candidate of the Germans is, who the candidate of the French is, who the candidate of the Russians is. I saw them being poodles at the embassies,” he added, referring to one of the favourite themes of the far-right, namely that the president of Romania is decided by the great powers.

“If the ambassadors want us to talk, they are welcome, but not at their embassies, but in our offices. Everyone is welcome except the Austrian ambassador”, Simion continued.

It’s time to stop being “treated like a second-rate colony,” Simion said.

He was particularly critical of Austria’s elites, saying: “They come here in their private planes and pretend to be dissatisfied with our development. They don’t know that for hundreds of years, we were exploited. Their grandparents took waltz lessons, and my grandfather and your grandparents ploughed the land. Austria should give up these imperial reflexes.”

Simion promised that, if elected, he would ensure that all Austrian companies operating in Romania would be rigorously audited when Romania joined Schengen.

He also promised to build a million affordable home and, cut labour taxes and unnecessary bureaucrac— although these measures are beyond the president’s powers.

He also promised to reduce the number of parliamentarians from 330 to 300 and limit government to 12 ministries instead of the current 20, although he would have no decision-making power in these areas.

On foreign policy, Simion mentioned the ongoing war, arguing that Romanians should avoid getting involved, especially in conflicts that are not their own.

(Catalina Mihai | Euractiv.ro)