A nationalist party is the second most popular political option for Romanian voters, an opinion poll showed Wednesday.
Leapfrogged
It was the second poll in a week to confirm that the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, known as AUR, had leapfrogged over the ruling Liberal Party and the Save Romanian Union, a centrist group to take second place.
The Avangarde poll gave the party 18%, lower than a poll last week.
The party, which has an anti-establishment message has staged a number of anti-vaccine and anti-mask protests. It has also drawn criticism for anti-Semitic statements and public support of fascist leaders such as Hitler ally Marshal Ion Antonescu and interwar fascist zealot Corneliu Zelea Codreanu.
AUR
AUR took fourth place in December 2020 elections, a year after it was established.
The Liberals who have been in office since the pandemic started were two points behind AUR with 16%. The USR had 12% , a slight increase since the December poll.
Romania’s biggest party, the Social Democratic Party was in first place 35%. However, it lost four percentage points since joining the ruling coalition in December.
The poll was ordered by the Social Democratic Party.
Respondents said their favorite politician was the new Health Minister Alexandru Rafila, who polled 39%. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca who took office in December came second with 30%.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who has been in power since 2014 and at the frontline of the pandemic and has set the tone during the Ukraine crisis had 20%.
AUR party leader George Simion scored 18%.
Liberal Party chairman Florin Cîțu, a former prime minister and disgraced Social Democrat chairman Liviu Dragnea were the least popular on 8% each.
Green pass
Respondents were also asked about the green pass and whether it should be mandatory. Just under two-thirds said it shouldn’t be a requirement in the workplace, with 14% saying it should.
On another topic, some 69% said the government should subsidize energy prices for a while.
The poll was carried out from 20-31 January. Some 903 people were interviewed by phone. It had a 3.4% margin of error.
UPDATE. Romanian nationalist politician defends pro-Hitler wartime leader
