George Simion exceeded all predictions. The leader of the right-wing sovereignist party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) came out strong on Sunday, May 4, leading the first round of the presidential election in Romania. After securing over 40% of the vote, according to near-final results, Simion is now the favorite for the second round, where he will face Bucharest's mayor, the centrist and pro-European Nicusor Dan, who painfully came in second with 21% of the vote.

"This is the victory of those who want Romania to be a free and respected country," said Simion in a brief video broadcast in front of a few supporters gathered at his party's headquarters in Bucharest on Sunday night. Wrapped in scarves bearing Romania's colors and live-streaming on TikTok, the ultra-popular social network in this Eastern European country, they chanted "Get rid of the thieves, the patriots are coming" to celebrate the defeat of the pro-European parties of the governing coalition. Their candidate, Crin Antonescu, only came in third with 20% of the votes.

At 38, Simion – a former ultra football supporter known for his irredentist speeches on Moldovan and Ukrainian territories – is now a leading contender for Romania's presidency. He believes that Moldova and parts of southern Ukraine, once part of Greater Romania between the world wars, should be reintegrated into the country. With its strategic location bordering Ukraine, his rise in this country of 19 million citizens could have major implications for Kyiv's war effort.

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