Romania presidential elections 2019: New poll shows actor in front of PM, opposition party leader

A new opinion poll conducted by IMAS at the request of Europa FM radio station shows president Klaus Iohannis leading by a wide margin in the intended vote for the presidential elections in November. Meanwhile, the race for the second place is very tight, with actor Mircea Diaconu, who runs as an independent, but backed by two political parties, ahead of prime minister Viorica Dancila and opposition party leader Dan Barna.

Klaus Iohannis continues to enjoy a strong support of over 45% of the intended vote. The next candidate, Mircea Diaconu, who is backed by former ruling coalition party ALDE and PRO Romania, the party of former PM Victor Ponta, is second in this poll, with 16.6% of the options. Dan Barna, the leader of Save Romania Union (USR), who also has the support of PLUS, the party of former technocrat PM Dacian Ciolos, is third, with 14.2% of the intended vote. Prime minister Viorica Dancila, the president of the ruling party – Social Democratic Party (PSD), is only fourth, with 12.5%. Fifth comes Theodor Paleologu, who runs for the Popular Movement Party (PMP) of former president Traian Basescu, with 7.7% of the intended vote.

When asked what party they would vote for, 27.7% of the respondents indicated the National Liberal Party (PNL), 19.5% went for the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and 17.9% chose Save Romania Union (USR). However, USR’s ally PLUS also has a 5.2% share in the poll, which means that their alliance would be ahead of PSD with a combined score of 23.1%.

PRO Romania, the party of former PM Victor Ponta, which includes a lot of former PSD members, has risen to 9.1% of the intended vote, almost half of PSD’s score. Thus, an alliance between PSD and PRO Romania would even surpass PNL, with a score of 28.6%. Former junior ruling coalition party ALDE, led by former PM and Senate president Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, has a score of 6.2%, and the Democrat Hungarian Union (UDMR) has 5.3%. Meanwhile, PMP’s score is just 3.3%.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea)