The battle for Cotroceni: Who are the 11 candidates who want to become president?

Eleven candidates will be on the ballots on May 4, in the first round of the presidential elections, after the Constitutional Court ruled on all the appeals received and after Anamaria Gavrilă, the president of the Young People's Party, withdrew from the race so that the votes of citizens with sovereignist sympathies would not be divided between her and George Simion, the president of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians.

The 11 candidates registered in the race for Cotroceni include both established politicians and figures who were previously less visible on the national political scene.

Nicuşor Dan, 55, the current mayor of the capital, is running as an independent, but is supported by the Democratic Force and other parties on the right side of the political spectrum, and is counting on his popularity among the urban electorate. Gold medalist at the 1987 and 1988 International Mathematical Olympiads, a mathematician by profession, Nicuşor Dan began his public career in the area of civic activism, managing to build a profile as a fighter against corruption in the administration, but also for environmental protection. He led the Save Bucharest Association, on the basis of which he founded the Save Bucharest Union, which later became the Save Romania Union (USR), a political formation that he later left due to internal disagreements. After an unsuccessful first candidacy for the Capital City Mayor's Office in 2016, Nicuşor Dan managed to impose himself in the 2020 and 2024 elections, winning each time against the PSD candidate, Gabriela Firea Pandele. As mayor, Nicuşor Dan had a technocratic approach to public administration, balancing the Capital City's budget and managing to start the extensive program to modernize the thermal network. Nicuşor Dan supports reforms in the judiciary and the modernization of local administration, but is criticized for the lack of effective measures in the field of fluidizing traffic in the Capital.

Crin Antonescu, 65, returns to politics after an absence of almost a decade, being the candidate supported by the governing coalition PSD-PNL-UDMR. A professional historian, Crin Antonescu was one of the prominent leaders of the PNL, having an important role in the formation of the USL, an alliance that led to the suspension of President Traian Băsescu in 2012. During the period in which Traian Băsescu was suspended from office and campaigned against the impeachment referendum, Crin Antonescu held the position of interim president of Romania, without doing anything notable. Except for bringing into the party and promoting the one who would become president of the country for the next ten years in 2014: Klaus Iohannis. Although he retired from politics in 2016, Crin Antonescu's comeback is motivated by a desire to maintain the balance between traditional political forces and ensure government stability. He is considered an experienced politician, but his political past divides the right-wing electorate. He also ran for president in 2009, when he failed to reach the second round, a round in which Mircea Geoana and Traian Băsescu faced each other.

Victor Ponta, 52, a lawyer, former prime minister and former PSD leader, is running as an independent, marking a surprising comeback in the race for Cotroceni. After losing the 2014 presidential election to Klaus Iohannis, Ponta has had a tortuous political career. Following the Colectiv tragedy on October 31, 2015 and the large-scale demonstrations demanding the resignation of the Government, Victor Ponta resigned as Prime Minister, being subsequently expelled from the PSD, at which point he founded the ProRomania party. It is worth mentioning that Ponta entered high-level politics in 2001 when Prime Minister Adrian Năstase appointed him head of the Control Body under the Prime Minister. Although he was considered one of the most skilled politicians of his generation, his image is affected by the accusations of plagiarism and the corruption cases that have hung over him. He promises a progressive vision and an openness towards youth, but his political past remains a major obstacle to regaining the trust of the electorate.

Elena Lasconi, 52, president of the USR and mayor of Câmpulung Muscel municipality (Argeş county), is the candidate of the reformist right. A former journalist for 25 years, Lasconi stood out in her first term as mayor with a direct approach and involvement in projects to modernize local administration. After a decisive victory in the 2020 local elections, after the disaster recorded by the USR in the local and parliamentary elections, she was elected president of the USR, managing to consolidate her position in the party. She was a finalist in the presidential elections of November 2024 - when she was also supported by Ludovic Orban, who dropped out of the candidacy in her favor, but the election was annulled by the Constitutional Court of Romania. She promises a profound change in the political class and transparent governance, but faces opposition from some USR leaders who support the candidacy of Nicuşor Dan.

George Simion, 38, the leader of AUR, represents the sovereignist and nationalist camp. He became known for his unionist activism and his rhetoric against traditional political elites. George Simion organized several unionist marches in Bucharest, Alba Iulia and Chişinău, but was later banned in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, on the grounds that he had met with people from the Russian secret services. Simion denied the accusations. In the 2019 presidential elections, Simion obtained only 1.2% of the votes in the first round, and in those annulled last year by the CCR he obtained 14% of the votes in the first round, a percentage that did not allow him to qualify for the second round. AUR has grown significantly in popularity over the past four years, and Simion is banking on a conservative electorate disillusioned with the policies of mainstream parties. However, his fluctuating alliances and controversial relations with certain political groups raise questions about his viability as president.

Cristian Terheş, 45, a former Greek Catholic priest, currently a second-term MEP and supporter of conservative movements, is running for the National Conservative Party. Initially close to AUR, Terheş was promoted to the PSD list in 2019, then returned to the alliance with Simion's party in last year's MEPs, after which he chose a separate path, being known for his speeches against the restrictive measures during the pandemic and for his opposition to European institutions. In the previous presidential elections, he obtained an insignificant score, but continues to promote his sovereignist vision. He is the author of the appeal that led to the recount of the votes in the first round of the annulled presidential elections, because he claimed unfoundedly - according to the recount carried out by the Central Electoral Bureau - that Elena Lasconi did not enter the second round.

Lavinia Şandru, 50 years old, an actress by profession, former journalist and politician with experience in several parties, is the candidate of PUSL, a party affiliated with the media group led by Dan Voiculescu. She returned to politics after a break of over a decade, promoting a discourse against abuses and corruption. Although she is well-known due to her media career, but also for her closeness between 2000-2005 to Traian Băsescu, and later to Cozmin Guţă, her chances are reduced due to the lack of a strong political structure behind her. She was married to former Finance Minister Darius Vâlcov, who was convicted of corruption for acts committed when he was mayor of Slatina, Olt County.

John Ion Banu, 64, an independent candidate, a mechanical engineer by profession, is an entrepreneur based in the US, returning to try his luck at the presidency again. He ran again in 2019, achieving a modest result. He supports the right of Romanians to own guns and a firmer government regarding corruption. However, his previous candidacies have failed to convince a significant number of voters.

Silviu Predoiu, 66, former deputy director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (2005-2018), continues his presidential ambitions after finishing last in the previous election. Candidate of the National Action League, with a long career in intelligence services, Predoiu is trying to build a profile as a leader capable of managing national security issues. But his past during the communist era raises questions among the electorate. A geological engineer by profession, Silviu Predoiu attended a foreign intelligence course at the Securitate Officers School between 1987 and 1989. During the same period, his father was the head of the Giurgiu militia (police).

Daniel Funeriu, 53, a chemist by profession, former Minister of Education, is running independently, banking on his image as a reformer in the field of education. He was the architect of the reforms that introduced video cameras in the Baccalaureate, which brought him both praise and criticism. He is a supporter of meritocracy and a policy based on competence, but his electoral impact is limited by the lack of a political structure to support him.

Sebastian Constantin Popescu, 42, a veterinarian and candidate for the New Romania Party, is on his third attempt to become president. With a career in journalism and politics, he is banking on a speech focused on the unification of Romania with the Republic of Moldova and on the transparency of state institutions. However, the lack of a strong electoral base significantly reduces his chances. In a decision dated March 17, the Central Electoral Bureau, although it approved his candidacy, notified the criminal investigation bodies regarding the establishment of the authenticity of Popescu's lists of supporters.

BOX:

Nicuşor Dan, the favorite of readers of the BURSA newspaper in the presidential race

Nicuşor Dan is the favorite of the readers of the BURSA newspaper to enter the second round of the presidential elections organized in May. According to a survey conducted between March 18-20, in which over 1700 readers who could vote only once from an IP, Nicuşor Dan obtained 44% of the votes cast. According to the options expressed by the survey participants, he was to face in the second round of the presidential elections, on May 18, Crin Antonescu, who received 27% of the votes cast. Elena Lasconi, with 11%, is in third place in our readers' options, almost equal with George Simion, who gathered 10% of the voting options. Victor Ponta is in 5th place, with only 5% of our readers' preferences. We do not mention the other candidates registered in the respective survey, because they obtained between 0% and 1% of the preferences of the participants in it.

We mention that 70% of the reading public of the BURSA newspaper is made up of entrepreneurs, people with post-university or minimum university education, people whose income is at least at the level of the average income in the economy, which allows them to lead a decent life, defenders of democratic, pro-European values, freedom of movement and freedom of expression.