Is pro-EU Romania Russia’s next target? | Radio Schuman
The unexpected victory of far-right leader Calin Georgescu in the first round of the Romania’s presidential election has sparked a debate about the level of Russian influence in the country.
Romania has never been pro-Russian and politicians backed by Russia rarely present themselves as such, Romanian centre-right MEP Siegfried Muresan told Radio Schuman in today’s episode.
Muresan said this applied to Calin Georgescu, the little-known far-right populist and TikTok personality who unexpectedly won the first round of Romania’s presidential election, adding that he had put forth an ”anti-European stance, seeking to undermine Europe, its values, and the rule of law.”
Georgescu was projected to secure less than 10% of the vote. He will now face liberal candidate Elena Lasconi in a December 8 run-off—unless Romania’s criminal court intervenes to annul the second round of elections.
This election outcome highlights a broader regional trend, with Romania potentially joining countries like Georgia and Moldova in pivotal political battles between democratic, pro-Western values and nationalist, pro-Moscow forces. The stakes are particularly high for Romania, an EU member that shares a border with Ukraine and serves as a key NATO military base.
Questions remain about Georgescu’s unexpected success, Romania’s ties to Russia, and how pro-EU forces in Bucharest and Brussels plan to counter his rise if the runoff proceeds.
In the second segment of this program, we take a brief look at the latest polls for today’s Irish election.
Radio Schuman also explores the underlying causes of mental health conditions among workers in certain European countries.
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