The Center-Right Candidate Has Defeated the Far-Right Pro-Russian Trumpist in the Romanian Presidential Election

The independent reformist Mayor of Bucharest, a center-right pro-European candidate, has won the Romanian presidential runoff election today, defeating a far-right Trumpist pro-Russian candidate, despite Russian interference on behalf of the latter. The mayor the former Soviet satellite’s capital and largest city, Nicosur Dan, had placed second in the first round two weeks ago, but because the Russian-backed candidate had not won a majority of votes, a runoff election was necessary among the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In the first round, there had been some unity around the center-left ruling party candidate, who was supported by some conservative parties, but Romanians preferred Dan, who has a record of opposing corruption, because Romania is among the more corrupt States in Eastern Europe, a region that has a high rate of corruption, instead of the usual parties that have governed Romania since the fall of Communism in 1989. As I had posted since December, the first-round presidential election results that month were annulled by the Romanian Supreme Court because of evidence of heavy Russian interference that boosted an unknown candidate with no party and no campaign spending into first place. That Russian-backed candidate, who was charged with election law violations and banned from standing for office, was promoted by the pro-Russian candidate in today’s election as a possible prime minister. The powerful Romanian President, as the Head of State, has responsibility for foreign policy and certain other matters, but is not the head of government. Pro-European parties had won the majority in the parliamentary elections, as I had posted. But because Romania is a member of the European Union, the Romanian President could have blocked EU support for Ukraine, as the pro-Russian candidate had promised to do, as the 27-member organization requires unanimity among its council of Heads of State. Dan opposes Russian aggression and supports continued aid to Ukraine. He favors closer ties with Europe and the West. Most Romanians preferred not to return to being under Russian influence, like most other Eastern Europeans also prefer, including Ukrainians and Georgians. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is a former Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire. The Russian-backed presidential candidate admired both Putin and Donald Trump. Isolationist or pro-Russian Trumpist Americans, including J.D. Vance, had criticized the anullment of the December election. Romania, which has demonstrated how to thwart Russian interference effectively, has now joined Poland, Austria and Germany within the last year in voting for center-right candidates versus far-right candidates, who are usually anti-migrant and often pro-Russian.