Euronews Romania will exclusively stage and air the first Romanian presidential election debate this evening as final candidates Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan and AUR party leader George Simion face off in a three-hour television duel.
Relations with the EU, NATO, the war in Ukraine and the economy will be key themes as they meet at 1900 CET before an audience in the Aula Magna of the Polytechnical University of Romania balanced in its support for the pair.
The Romanian election is viewed as existential for the future of the country, but will also impact central Europe and the EU as a whole, as the bloc struggles to maintain a unified line of support for Ukraine and to ramp up the continent’s defence capacity in the face of vacillating support from US President Donald Trump.
Both candidates spoke exclusively to Euronews and Euronews Romania in recent days following the momentous first round.
Simion, who has emerged as the frontrunner for Romania’s next president, securing 40.5% of the votes in the repeat’s first round held on Sunday, said he remains in favour of the country’s membership in the EU and NATO.
“I am a Euro-realist,” Simion told Euronews and Euronews Romania. “We want a Europe of nations, and I am the person who fought the most before entering politics against Russian propaganda.”
Where he differs from the EU is his views on Ukraine, however. When asked whether Romania will continue to support Ukraine, defending itself from Russia’s all-out war, now in its fourth year, or if Bucharest will put that on hold, Simion was clear.
“This is not an obligation so far as I know, and I will not help Ukraine until Ukraine manages to respect the right of the Romanians living in the sovereign territory of Ukraine,” he said.
Bucharest Mayor and independent candidate Nicușor Dantold Euronews and Euronews Romania he is prepared to mount a strong challenge to Simion advocating for a pro-European direction.
Dan, who came in second after leapfrogging the ruling big tent candidate Crin Antonescu in a dramatic finish to Sunday’s vote count, maintained his strongly pro-European positions, including with Ukraine, one of his key differences from his self-proclaimed “Euro-realist” rival.
“I would like Ukraine to enter the European Union,” he said, “just as I would like the Republic of Moldova to enter the European Union.”
“In the event that I am president, I will campaign for this within the European structures.”
Both campaigns will bring their supporters to the debate which will be hosted by Andra Diaconescu, editor in chief of Euronews Romania and Monica Mihai, Euronews’ political editor.
