Romanians to choose between George Simion and Nicușor Dan in presidential vote runoff

Romanians will spell to nan polls connected Sunday to take betwixt hard-right campaigner George Simion and pro-European independent Nicușor Dan, successful a statesmanlike predetermination redo expected to style nan country's future.

After coming 4th successful past year’s cancelled race, Simion, nan 38-year-old leader of nan Alliance for nan Unity of Romanians (AUR) party, has been backed by astonishment winner, ultranationalist Calin Georgescu, who was banned successful March from opinionated successful nan repeat.

Simion past surged to go nan frontrunner successful nan 4 May first round, winning 40.5% of nan vote, including a monolithic 61% of nan Romanian diaspora's ballots.

Simion says he would attraction connected reforms: slashing reddish tape, reducing bureaucracy, and taxes. But he insists that his main extremity is to create "a exemplary of economical practice and a exemplary of peace".

"I will beryllium an illustration of pro-European, pro-NATO president fighting for nan interests of nan Romanian nation,” Simion told Euronews and Euronews Romania successful Brussels connected Thursday.

Meanwhile, astir caller home surveys bespeak nan runoff has narrowed to a adjacent tie, aft earlier ones showed Simion holding a lead complete Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician and politician of Bucharest.

Dan is moving connected his ain connected a pro-EU ticket, supporting economical reform, Western links, and support for Ukraine. He founded nan reformist Save Romania Union statement successful 2016 but later resigned.

On Sunday, he noted nan rising tensions astatine a objection successful Bucharest. “How did it travel to this, that successful a state pinch hardworking, decent people, location is truthful overmuch hatred and division, that families and circles of friends are torn isolated complete governmental opinions?” he said.

“We request to task hope,” he added.

Both candidates support nan extremity of Russia's warfare connected Ukraine, but Dan wants Romania to proceed supporting its neighbour, while Simion wishes Romania to halt its aid.

With truthful overmuch astatine stake, some candidates person courted support from European leaders. While Dan is getting support from Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Moldova's President Maia Sandu, Simion is aligning himself much pinch Italy's Premier Giorgia Meloni.

Earlier this week, Sandu posted a nationalist connection successful support of Dan, saying Moldovans understand nan worth of being “part of nan European family”.

The Romanian president's agency has a five-year word and important decision-making powers successful nationalist information and overseas policy.