Presidential campaign officially kicks off in Romania, will end on May 3

The electoral campaign for the presidential elections began on Friday, April 4, at midnight, with most of the candidates posting on social media within the first minutes.

Far-right candidate George Simion, credited with the first shot at winning the first round according to the latest surveys, began the election campaign alongside his wife and supporters, singing unionist songs like “Treceți, batalioane române, Carpații” (“Advance, Romanian battalions, over the Carpathians”). The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, or AUR, said that the Romanian nation demands respect. He also claimed to stand behind pro-Russian politician Calin Georgescu, who was barred from running.

Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan, now an independent candidate, kicked off his campaign alongside volunteers, to whom he expressed his gratitude. The mayor took part in setting up posters displaying his “Honest Romania” campaign slogan.

After putting up the first poster, Nicușor Dan thanked those who helped him. “I want to thank the volunteers who have campaigned so far, [...] and the nearly 10,000 people who donated. Now the real election campaign begins, and the effort must be multiplied,” declared Nicușor Dan.

Another independent, former Social Democratic prime minister Victor Ponta, said his campaign was about “putting Romania first.” Ponta, who styled his campaign after that of Donald Trump, has seen increasing support in the surveys.

Crin Antonescu, the candidate backed by the governing coalition made up of Social Democrats, Liberals, and the ethnic minority party UDMR, gave a long interview to national TV station Digi24. He then released a campaign poster, promising to be a “citizen-president.”

USR candidate Elena Lasconi posted a video on Facebook showing several images of herself from childhood and adolescence. “Romania needs more courage! The courage to no longer accept half-measures and the courage to disturb interests when you fight for justice. That’s why I’m running! Because I have the courage to do justice,” she wrote.

The election campaign began on Friday at 00:00 and will end on May 3 at 07:00. The first round of the presidential elections will take place on May 11, with 11 candidates in the race.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)