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Călin Georgescu is the big winner of the first round of the presidential elections, as he recorded an unprecedented progress for a relatively obscure candidate who was credited with 2% at the beginning of the electoral campaign and was in first place, with 22.07% after counting 83% of the polling stations in the country, followed by Marcel Ciolacu, with 21.96%.
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Political expert Cristian Pîrvulescu claimed last night on Digi 24 that this sovereignist current has only 31%, stating that the percentages obtained by Călin Georgescu come partly from Diana Şoşoacă, who was prevented from running, and partly from those who wanted to vote with Simion but were bothered by his soft tone in the last two weeks of the campaign.
Sovereignty is not a bad concept, the sovereignty of member states is not excluded by the European Union or NATO, but the way it is manifested by Georgescu, Simion and Şoşoacă is a toxic one, meant to remove us from the two transnational structures. Fortunately for the representatives of the pro-European political parties in our country, the three sovereignists are not united, but divided, each interpreting the concept of sovereignty in Romanian politics in their own way. Thus, while George Simion relies on traditions and the country's return to part of the borders of Greater Romania, wanting union with the Republic of Moldova, Călin Georgescu promotes economic and ecological independence, emphasizing agrarian development, and Diana Iovanovici-Şoşoacă uses anti-system rhetoric and vehement opposition to external influences. A big surprise is the independent candidate Călin Georgescu, whose candidacy does not seem to have been affected by the decision of the Central Electoral Bureau requiring him to withdraw campaign materials from social networks, because they did not contain the code of the financial representative.
After yesterday's election, the only candidate who is certain of entering the presidential final is Marcel Ciolacu, the PSD candidate for the position of President of Romania. The second round of the presidential elections will take place on December 8 and the battle promises to be tough, taking into account the fact that, according to the data from 21:30 on the website of the Permanent Electoral Authority, 9,447,812 Romanian citizens with the right to vote in the country (52.46%) and 804,937 Romanian citizens with the right to vote abroad participated in yesterday's election.
Exit polls at 9 p.m. showed that Marcel Ciolacu would have gathered 25% of the votes, followed by Elena Lasconi with 18%, Călin Georgescu - 16% and George Simion, credited with 14.1% by the CURS poll and 15% by the poll prepared by CIRA, Avangarde and Insomar.
So, until the votes are counted, Lasconi, Georgescu and Simion will have emotions regarding entering the presidential final, especially since at the time of closing the edition and the polling stations, huge queues were recorded inside them, the voting being extended until the respective persons were to exercise their vote, without exceeding 24 hours. Moreover, the vote regarding the first round of the presidential elections ends this morning when the polling stations set up for Romanians located in the most remote corners of the USA will close.
Following the publication of the exit polls, Marcel Ciolacu declared that it was a positive vote for balance and stability, he will take into account the opinion of Romanians and will initiate a dialogue with each candidate to gather all the good things from their programs. Elena Lasconi stated that each vote is a responsibility for her and drew attention to the fact that the score is very close, asking for attention to the vote counting in all polling stations, including in the Diaspora. Călin Georgescu declared himself satisfied and awaits the final results of the vote counting, and George Simion said that AUR claims entry into the second round of the presidential elections, although the initial exit polls showed it only in fourth place.
What is certain is that Romanians mobilized yesterday to elect their new president, in a poll that attracted significant participation, exceeding the levels recorded in the 2019 elections, both for the first and second rounds of the past presidential elections. The electoral process, held in all counties of the country and in the diaspora, was marked by a mix of mobilization, political tensions and occasional incidents. In a polarized political climate, the main candidates launched strong mobilization messages, each trying to convince voters that they represent the best choice for the stability, security and prosperity of Romania.
• Candidates optimistic about entering the presidential final
Election day saw the opening of polling stations at 7:00 and a steady flow of voters reported from the early hours, even if by noon the turnout was lower than five years ago. In contrast, after noon and until late in the evening, polling stations in the country, in the capital and in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom were stormed by voters who waited in lines for between 20 and 50 minutes to exercise their right to vote in the first round of the presidential elections.
Political leaders, candidates and public figures went to the polls, accompanying their votes with messages addressed to voters.
Marcel Ciolacu, a candidate from the PSD, said that he voted for "an economically strong Romania, a Romania with a strong voice in the world, (...) in which Romanians can have a decent life" and for a president who "works for the country and for its people". Marcel Ciolacu also said that he wants stability, social equity, peace and a decent life for all Romanians. The liberal candidate Nicolae Ciucă said that he voted for "prosperity, security and democracy" and specified that his vote is a useful one that "goes to that candidate who has the honesty, decency and necessary preparation" to manage the presidential office. He asked citizens to exercise their right to vote, because at stake is "the future of our children". Elena Lasconi, the USR candidate for the position of president of the country, said that she voted so that no one would want to emigrate from Romania anymore. "I voted with the confidence that 1116 Romanians did not die in vain in 1989. I voted with the confidence that we will have a Romania for all, not just for some. I feel that today we can make a major change for Romania. I love this country and I continue to fight for it", said Mrs. Lasconi.
George Simion, the AUR candidate, did not vote yesterday, because he previously exercised his right to vote in Italy, but he accompanied his wife to the polling station in Bucharest, after which he declared: "As always, I did my homework and I am glad that it is a beautiful day. I want to encourage Romanians to go to the vote, it is important. I am happy that we manage to restore hope to Romanians. The vote in Rome was extremely well organized, I congratulate those who organized the vote in the diaspora. Unfortunately, some fraud was found and I would like it to be resolved, because you can't have pre-stamped ballots and people entering the voting booth two by two."
Independent Mircea Geoana, former NATO Secretary General, went to the polls with his family, after which he said: "We are not just electing a president, we are electing a direction for the country. I think the choice is quite clear. We are choosing between corruption and competence and patriotism. I hope the night was a good counselor. Massive participation is needed. (...) The economic crisis is knocking on the door. Choose the most competent candidates. Next time I hope we vote digitally via blockchain". The former NATO Secretary General declared himself dissatisfied during the day with several TV stations presenting exit poll data, a presentation that would have influenced the race for entry into the second round of the presidential elections.
Asked what kind of president Romania needs, one of yesterday's candidates, Kelemen Hunor, replied: "A president who is on the side of the people, who ensures security; I could say a protective president, who has the capacity to ensure security for every person, will restore hope for every family and will primarily deal with issues related to demographic decline because this is Romania's most important problem".
• Security measures, electoral incidents and offences applied
Several incidents were reported during the election, from attempted fraud and administrative irregularities to complaints regarding vote-rigging and massive mobilization of some segments of voters.
By 6 p.m., the Ministry of Interior had reported 208 reports related to electoral incidents, of which 107 were confirmed, 42 were under verification, and 59 were not confirmed. In relation to two of the reports, it was determined that they were not within the competence of the Ministry of Interior, so one was sent for resolution to the Permanent Electoral Authority, and the second to a county electoral office.
An electoral incident was recorded in Ialomiţa County, where police officers checked six polling stations, following reports that the presidents of those stations had already filled in the minutes that are drawn up at the end of the elections, with the identification data of the commission members and the political party they belong to. Also in Ialomiţa, four presidents of polling stations in Bărbuleşti commune arrived to take over the stations with a 25-minute delay, and there was a case in which a voter filmed his ballot while in the voting booth.
In Buzău County, Sorin Ioniţă, the president of Expert Forum, accused PSD of "mobilizing people to vote for George Simion". Sorin Ioniţă stated on his official Facebook page that he is preparing a complaint to the competent institutions: "We are making a very serious appeal to the PSD organizations in the communes of Buzău County, with special mention for Verneşti, to stop mobilizing people to vote for George Simion. We know that you think you are immune to the law, with protection from Ciolacu, but there were other brave people in the past who ended badly. We are already preparing the complaint."
Police officers from Olt opened a criminal case after a woman from Slatina showed up at a polling station with two identity documents, received two ballot papers, which she stamped and inserted into the ballot box. Law enforcement officers from Satu Mare have drawn up a criminal case for failure to comply with the ballot box regime, in the case of a vice-president of a polling station, who traveled to the locality with a mobile ballot box without being accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In Iaşi County, a criminal case was filed for obstructing the exercise of electoral rights, after the police were notified, by a person, by calling 112, regarding the fact that his wife, who lives in Iaşi, was denied the right to vote on the additional list at a polling station in another locality.
Following yesterday's electoral incidents, the Ministry of Internal Affairs showed that the police had applied over 80 minor offense sanctions until last night, including 24 fines totaling 38,900 lei.
Furthermore, based on the notifications received regarding the fact that certain TV stations, including Romania TV, presented several results from ongoing exit polls throughout yesterday, the Central Electoral Bureau sent that "on voting day, it is prohibited to present polls conducted at the exit of the polls, before the end of voting", that is, before 9:00 p.m.
The press release issued by the BEC also states: "We specify that, according to the provisions of art. 55 letter y) and art. 56 paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) letter f) and g) of the same law, failure to comply with the provisions previously invoked constitutes a contravention and is sanctioned with a fine of 4,500 lei to 10,000 lei, and the finding of the contravention is within the competence of the National Audiovisual Council, if it is committed by broadcasters, respectively by the competence of the Permanent Electoral Authority, if it is committed by someone other than broadcasters".
There were also problems with the supplementary lists, with numerous localities in the country where voter turnout far exceeded 100%: in Sălaj County, at a polling station in the town of Miluani, the turnout was 328%, and at a station in the town of Ugruţiu, 257.17%; in Olt County, in the town of Moţoeşti, the turnout exceeded 157.14%; in the Siberian resort of Păltiniş, a turnout of over 200% was recorded, but here everything is explained by the presence of tourists who came to enjoy the snow that fell at the end of last week in the mountain areas.
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