Reformist Leader Mobilizes Romanians to Counter Rising Pro-Russia Hard Right

Lasconi claimed that Georgescu, whose campaign focuses on reducing imports and boosting Romania’s domestic food and energy production, seeks to detach Romania from the European and international financial systems and NATO alliances, thereby leaving the country vulnerable to Russian influence.

Accusing Georgescu of wanting to return Romania to the isolation experienced before the 1989 revolution, Lasconi evoked stark memories etched in the Romanian collective consciousness from the final years of Communist rule—poverty, unheated apartments, and widespread hardship. She painted a grim portrait of the potential consequences of a Georgescu presidency.

Highlighting her own humble beginnings, Lasconi spoke of her mother’s hard work washing dishes in multiple restaurants in the small western town of Hațeg, where Lasconi grew up. “She spent her entire life washing glasses with cold water for 12 to 14 hours daily,” she noted, adding that her family has always understood the value of hard work without relying on political privilege.

Before entering politics, Lasconi was a well-known face on Romanian television, having served as a news presenter at PRO TV for 25 years. During her career, she reported as a war correspondent in Kosovo and Afghanistan and even gained national attention by winning Romania’s version of Celebrity MasterChef in 2013.

Lasconi transitioned from journalism to politics in 2020, running for mayor of the small city of Câmpulung under the reformist USR party banner. She won a four-year mandate and was re-elected in June this year, touting her success in securing tens of millions of euros in EU funding for the town. That same month, she became the leader of USR and its presidential candidate after an internal party election.

If elected, Lasconi would make history as both the first woman and the first USR candidate to win Romania’s presidency.

Her political career, however, has not been without controversy. Lasconi attracted criticism for her opposition to same-sex marriage, revealing in 2023 that she voted in favor of a 2018 referendum seeking to ban it—a stance that clashed with her party’s platform. This led to her exclusion from the USR’s list for the European Parliament elections and public criticism, including from her own daughter, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Since then, Lasconi has clarified that while she stands by traditional family values, she supports the recognition of civil partnerships for same-sex couples.