Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned and his Social Democrat party is to leave the government after a right-wing nationalist candidate won the first round of the presidential election.
George Simion, a eurosceptic who has promised to put Romania first, won 40.9% of Sunday’s vote and is expected to win a run-off vote on 18 May.
He will face liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who narrowly defeated the Social Democrat (PSD) candidate.
Sunday’s result plunged Romania – an EU state on Nato’s eastern flank – into further political turmoil. Ciolacu told colleagues that as their coalition had failed to meet its objective and “has no legitimacy”, they should pull out of the government.
Ciolacu, 57, had only come to power in a pro-EU coalition after elections in 2024, although George Simion’s far-right party along with two other groupings had attracted a third of the vote.
The parties in that coalition had been holding emergency meetings on Monday to decide on their next steps.
Simion’s victory on Sunday was largely driven by popular frustration at the annulment of presidential elections late last year. His likely success on 18 May is awaited nervously in European capitals, as well as in Kyiv.
He has said he wants an EU of strong, sovereign nations and his party has opposed supply weapons to Ukraine.
Ciolacu is now expected to submit his resignation to interim president Ilie Bolojan, who will then appoint a caretaker prime minister.
