Romania's Elections: A Balance of EU Support and National Identity

In a recent parliamentary vote, Romania's center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD) led by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu appears to have won a quarter of the vote, beating the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) by a close margin. AUR secured nearly 20 percent, pushing them into the second spot. Ciolacu sees this as a sign that Romanians want to continue developing the country with European money while also safeguarding their identity and national values.For the PSD to form a government, they'll likely need to team up with other parties, potentially including their current partners, the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), and others. The presidential race is more complicated, with neither the PSD nor the PNL making it to the second round. Instead, Elena Lasconi from the reformist Save Romania Union (USR) will face off against Georgescu. Initially, the USR was thought to have around 15. 5 percent support, but early results suggest otherwise. In contrast, far-right parties seem to be gaining traction, with AUR having nearly 20 percent support. Other smaller hard-right parties are also pulling in around 10 to 12 percent. This mixed outcome reflects a country balancing pro-European aspirations with strong nationalist sentiments.