Far-right candidate Simion leads in Romania’s presidential race, exit polls show

Far-right candidate George Simion is leading in the first round of Romania’s presidential election, according to exit polls released Sunday night.

Simion received approximately 30% of the vote, according to an exit poll conducted by Avantgarde and broadcast on Antena3.

Cirin Antonescu and Nicusor Dan are in a close contest for second place and are expected to face Simion in a runoff scheduled for May 18, the poll showed.

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA - MAY 04: Presidential candidate George Simion casts his vote in the first round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 4, 2025. ( Alex Nicodim - Anadolu Agency )

Controversial 2024 elections

Romania previously held a presidential election on Nov. 24, 2024, in which pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Georgescu was declared the winner.

However, the country’s Constitutional Court later annulled both the Dec. 8, 2024, runoff and the results of the first round. The court ruled that the election had been manipulated in favor of Georgescu through a Russia-backed campaign.

May 08, 2025 12:11 AM GMT+03:00