“There’s a lot of hatred in this campaign. I’ve received personal threats and even heard people say that pro-Europeans should be thrown out the window,” says Simena Trif, a regional coordinator for Dan’s campaign. She blames political leaders for failing to act against the rise of extremism in Romania. “This situation is the result of their inaction.”
David Milea, 29, says he’s standing up for freedom of expression in the face of rising extremism. “Simion is a populist,” he says. “The real danger lies in potentially losing European funding and drifting closer to Russia.”
Even younger Romanians are wary of the past repeating itself. “I just want the freedom to choose my own path,” says Diana Ghita, 27. “I wasn’t alive during Ceaușescu’s regime, but I keep thinking how easily we could slide back into a world where our choices are taken away.”
As marchers approach Alba Iulia’s historic citadel and pass the Unification Hall, their energetic pace turns solemn. They walk slowly and in silence, reflecting on the significance of the location. Outside the walls, they gather to listen to speeches in support of Dan, delivered in front of a memorial dedicated to 18th-century Romanian rebels who fought against Austro-Hungarian control. A trio of relaxed gendarmes looks on.
As the sun dips and the crowd begins to disperse, a small boy wrapped in an EU flag walks home beside his father and brother. With a recorder pressed to his lips, he plays “Ode to Joy,” the European Union’s official anthem, as they make their way down the street.
Dragoș Ursu, a historian from the National Museum of the Union in Alba Iulia and one of the event’s organizers, fears the consequences if Simion gains power. “A political crisis and economic collapse could follow,” he warns, noting that the country is already facing a projected 7 percent budget deficit this year and warnings of possible credit rating downgrades. “We’re here to save what little we still can.”
Regardless of who emerges victorious from this election, repairing the frayed edges of Romania’s democracy will be an even greater challenge.
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