Eleven contenders are running for the presidency, which entails controlling defense budget and foreign policy. The leading candidates are as follows:
George Simion
According to opinion polls, the 38-year-old leader of the radical right Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR) is in the lead.
He supports US President Donald Trump, criticizes the leadership of the European Union, and opposes military aid to Ukraine.
He has advocated for Romania to return to its 1940 boundaries, which include areas that are currently in Ukraine, Moldova, and Bulgaria. He is prohibited from entering the latter two countries.
As a devout Christian, he backed an unsuccessful 2018 referendum to amend Romania’s constitution to forbid same-sex marriages.
