Survey: Romanians would vote for a male, right-wing, independent president

More than half of Romanians would prefer an independent candidate for president over a political party nominee, and a similar percentage would opt for a right-wing, male president. In contrast, just over 20% would prefer a left-wing one, according to a poll conducted by INSCOP Research on behalf of News.ro.

Over half of Romanians would choose an independent candidate as president, while slightly over a third would prefer a member of a political party. Women, gray-collar workers, urban residents, and those with lower income predominantly express a preference for an independent political candidate. Men, those with primary education, those potentially active but unemployed, and residents of southern regions would most likely prefer a member of a political party for the presidential office.

Meanwhile, 50.4% of respondents say they would prefer a right-wing president, 20.7% a left-wing one, and 28.9% do not know or did not respond. Voters of the United Right Alliance, PNL, and AUR, men, potentially active unemployed, blue collars, and residents of Bucharest express a preference for a right-wing president in a larger proportion than the average. A left-wing president is preferred especially by PSD voters and people over 60 years old.

Over half of respondents would also prefer a male president, while a third would prefer a woman. PSD, PNL, and AUR voters, men, people over 60 years old, passively unemployed, residents of small urban areas, and public sector employees express a preference for a male president in a larger proportion than other population categories. A female president is preferred especially by women, people under 30 years old, and potentially active unemployed.

Among voters of the governing, left-wing Social Democrats, nearly one-third consider prime minister Marcel Ciolacu the most suitable presidential candidate for the party, followed by former PMs Mircea Geoană and Victor Ponta.

Voters of the center-right National Liberal Party would prefer party president Nicolae Ciucă (15.1%) as a candidate for president, followed by Cluj-Napoca mayor Emil Boc and Mircea Geoană.

Over half of voters of the far-right opposition party AUR, or the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, consider party leader George Simion as the most suitable candidate for president, while 17.8% opt for far-right senator Diana Şoşoacă.

At the same time, 21.2% of the voters of the United Right Alliance think that the most suitable candidate for the presidency would be the USR leader Cătălin Drulă, followed by Mircea Geoană, Dan Barna, Ludovic Orban, and Laura Codruţa Kövesi.