Last week, an American missile defense base was opened in Redzikowo, Poland. Romania has the same one – but for years. The largest NATO base in Europe is also being built in Romania. This country is important for the Alliance, among other things, due to its location. Romania borders Ukraine, but also Moldova, which is also threatened by Russian imperialism. The authorities in Bucharest were known for their pro-Western stance, but recently pro-Russian forces have been gaining popularity there. Elections start this weekend in this country.
Will another country in our region turn away from Ukraine and take a pro-Kremlin course? This will become clear after the election marathon that begins in Romania. For three consecutive weekends, Romanians will elect a parliament and a president.
It might not have aroused much interest in the West if it weren't for George Simion. Like the Hungarian Viktor Orban or the Slovak Robert Fico, he dresses as a pacifist, an opponent of the war in Ukraine, when in fact he is a pro-Kremlin politician. He promises an end to military aid for Kiev. He is even banned from entering Ukraine.
– As president, I will not involve Romania in any war. We are not ready for this. We don't need this, said George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians and presidential candidate, during a televised debate.
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Simon is in second place in the presidential polls, which means he will most likely advance to the second round of the election. The second force in parliament will most likely be his far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians.
The polls give first place to the social democrats from the PSD party. Their leader, the current Prime Minister, Marcel Ciolacu, is the leader of the presidential race – and the guarantor of the country's pro-Western course.
– Romania is generally a pro-American, pro-EU country, unless it is tempted by ties with Russia. Relations with Russia were one of the topics during the campaign only for some candidates. It was more about personnel matters. Broader security aspects were not really a topic of public debate, comments Radu Magdin, a political analyst at Smartlink Communications.
Where does the support for the pro-Russian far right come from?
Romania is an important member of the European Union and NATO. It borders, among others, Ukraine and another country threatened by Russian imperialism – Moldova. Among other things, Romania's geographical location means that by 2030 it will be the largest base of the North Atlantic Alliance in Europe. Another reason is the constant pro-Western stance of the main forces on the political scene so far.
How important is the Russian attack with a new, experimental weapon on the Dnieper? Katarzyna Sławińska/Fakty TVN
– Ukraine giving up part of its territory is not a solution because Putin behaves like an emperor. We know where the center of his empire is, but we do not know its borders. If Ukraine gives up the territories, Putin will not stop, warns Elena Lasconi, the center-right candidate for president of Romania.
The pro-Russian far right owes the increase in ratings to the country's poor economic situation, including the long-standing five percent inflation. George Simion points to Law and Justice as an example, with which his party sits in the same group in the European Parliament. Voters' disenchantment with traditional parties also plays to the extreme right's advantage.
It's time to start the election marathon
– Of course I will vote. The problem is that I don't know who. I will choose someone from the right, I don't know who yet, but someone from the right, says one of the residents of Bucharest.
– I'm not going to vote, there's no one to vote for. I haven't been voting since 1992, says another resident of Bucharest.
– No candidate represents young people. There is no one who would promote new values, different from the old ones. Young people have very limited choices, says a young resident of Bucharest.
After two terms in power, President Klaus Iohannis can no longer run for re-election. The electoral marathon begins on November 24 with the first round of the presidential elections, a week later the parliamentary elections will take place, and in two weeks the second round of the presidential race will take place.
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