Thousands rally in Romania in EU support ahead of presidential election run-off

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BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Thousands of people rallied in Romania’s capital, Bucharest, and other cities in support of the European Union on Friday, one week before a presidential election run-off that could see a hard-right eurosceptic sweep into power.

Hard-right nationalist George Simion won the first round of the presidential ballot on Sunday, and an opinion survey earlier this week showed him leading ahead of the May 18 run-off vote against centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan.

Simion, 38, opposes military aid to Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

Analysts have said a Simion victory could isolate Romania, erode private investment and destabilise NATO’s eastern flank, where Bucharest plays a key role in providing logistical support to Ukraine as it fights a three-year-old Russian invasion.

In Bucharest on Friday, an estimated 15,000 people rallied, waving EU and Romanian flags and chanting, “Russia, don’t forget Romania is not yours” and “We want our country forward not backward.”

“I was seriously thinking about taking out a loan for an apartment,” said 26-year-old Petre, who declined to give his last name. “But I don’t know that I could do that if George Simion were president.

“Our EU membership brought us prosperity and security.”

In a televised debate on Thursday, Dan, 55, a two-term mayor of Bucharest running as an independent centrist on an “Honest Romania” ticket, fully backed EU plans to arm itself. In contrast, Simion suggested he would veto Brussels military aid to Ukraine while saying that Europe should depend on NATO for its own defence.

“It scares me that other people might not benefit from the same opportunities I have had,” said 19-year-old student Alex, who has studied abroad under the EU’s program for supporting education across Europe and said he will always be grateful for the friendships and connections it enabled.

In the western Romanian city of Timisoara, protesters held a banner reading “Better dead than fascist.”

“Today, on Europe Day, we reflect on what Romania’s 18 years of EU membership have meant for our country: greater opportunities, better infrastructure, and the chance to thrive in a united Europe,” interim President Ilie Bolojan said on social media platform X.

(Reporting by Octav Ganea and Luiza Ilie; Editing by Leslie Adler)