Romania’s Far-Right Shift and Pro-Russian Tilt Pose Significant Challenges for EU and NATO

“It’s a wake-up call — one of many,” said Nič.

Thanasis Bakolas, Secretary General of the European People’s Party (EPP), expressed concern that Georgescu’s recent electoral success signals a growing trend of “extremism” across the European Union. “This struggle against populism, against extremism — it’s never-ending,” Bakolas stated. “The fight needs to go on.”

Bakolas emphasized that the EPP, as Europe’s largest political group, has a duty to not only resist extremism but also to support a broad and functional centrist coalition.

However, not everyone is convinced that Georgescu will ultimately ascend to Romania’s presidency. Traian Băsescu, who served as President of Romania from 2004 to 2014, voiced skepticism about Georgescu’s chances in the runoff election. He argued that despite current challenges, Romanians remain broadly “very positive” toward both the European Union and NATO.

Still, Băsescu cautioned that Romanian voters are increasingly “very angry” about the resurgence of corruption in their country and the re-politicization of the justice system. According to him, this dissatisfaction could spell defeat for the country’s ruling coalition. On Sunday, candidates from the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL) together secured 38.2 percent of the vote.

“What the two parties [in the governing coalition] have done in the last two years is a disaster,” Băsescu said. “I suspect they will lose power.”

Following his victory on Sunday, Georgescu received an endorsement from hard-right politician George Simion. Should Georgescu consolidate all of Simion’s support in the second round of voting, he could achieve 36.82 percent — slightly trailing the combined vote share of the two governing coalition candidates.