Thousands gathered in Bucharest on Thursday night in a show of support for democracy ahead of Romania’s critical presidential election runoff on Sunday. The vote will determine whether Calin Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate, or Elena Lasconi, a centrist, pro-European Union leader, will lead the country.
With Romania being a member of both the European Union (EU) and NATO, the election carries significant geopolitical weight. A victory for Georgescu, who is highly critical of the EU, could shift Romania’s political alignment closer to Russia and align it with other Eastern European nations where far-right, pro-Russian figures are gaining influence. Countries like Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria have seen the rise of similar political forces in recent years.
At the rally, which attracted around 3,000 participants braving freezing temperatures, prominent Romanian musicians, filmmakers, actors, and civic activists threw their support behind Lasconi. They rallied against fascism, chanting slogans like “Europe!” and “No Fascism,” holding signs that read “Democracy is in danger” and “Our children will be free.”
Concerns about foreign interference have also emerged. Declassified documents revealed that Romania had been targeted by “aggressive hybrid Russian attacks” during the election period. These documents suggested that Georgescu’s campaign had been heavily promoted on the social media platform TikTok, with reports of coordinated accounts, recommendation algorithms, and paid promotions. Though Georgescu has denied spending any funds on the campaign, the situation has raised alarm among European leaders. Germany’s foreign ministry condemned the interference, saying Russia aims to “undermine the unity within the EU and NATO.”
Polls show Lasconi with a narrow lead over Georgescu, with recent figures from an AtlasIntel poll indicating 48.6% support for Lasconi, compared to 46.4% for Georgescu. However, 3.1% of respondents are undecided, and 1.9% said they would spoil their ballots.
Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, who herself faced Russian interference in her re-election bid, endorsed Lasconi in a meeting in Bucharest on Thursday, underscoring the shared threat faced by pro-Western leaders in Eastern Europe. Romania’s strong support for Moldova’s EU aspirations could play a decisive role in the runoff, as Moldovans with dual Romanian citizenship are expected to lean toward Lasconi.
As the election nears, Romania faces a crucial decision that could define its future trajectory within the EU and NATO.
