Hard-right opposition leader George Simion led an opinion poll published on Monday, five weeks ahead of a re-do of the presidential election that will decide whether Romania remains on its pro-Western course or moves closer to Russia.
The European Union and NATO member will repeat the two-round election on May 4 and 18 after the Constitutional Court canceled the ballot in December following reports of Russian interference, denied by Moscow.
With the former far-right frontrunner barred from standing again, nationalists are supporting Simion, 38, who heads the Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), Romania’s second-largest party.
An opinion poll conducted by polling institute Verifield and commissioned by Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, who is also running for president showed Simion was on course to secure 35% of votes in the first round, higher than in other polls.
The poll also put former Premier Victor Ponta, who has joined the arch-conservative camp on 21.1% of votes, just ahead of Dan, a centrist running as an independent who would get 20.8%.
The poll surveyed 1,100 people between March 24 and 28 and had a margin of error of 2.95%.
Simion, 38, a former football hooligan, has been declared persona non grata in Ukraine and Moldova, a possible handicap for a president who is in charge of Romania’s foreign policy.
Ponta, 52, backs what he calls us “radical change” taking place in the United States and has tapped into voters who are fed up with mainstream parties without jeopardizing Romania’s role in the EU and NATO.
Dan, 55 supports Romania’s EU and NATO membership and supports aid for Ukraine.
Romania’s president is considered the top job in the state administration and the president is in charge of foreign and security policy, and appoints intelligence chiefs and key prosecutors.
