Date
11/24/2024 6:19:56 AM
(MENAFN) As Romania’s presidential election draws near, George Simeon, the leader of the far-right Union of Romanians (AUR) party, is emerging as a leading candidate. Simeon, 38, has expressed a desire to reshape European politics, citing U.S. President-elect Donald trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as key influences. He openly labels his party as “Trumpian” and admires Meloni for restoring faith in the European project, predicting that a similar movement will soon sweep across Europe.
While Simeon shares Meloni’s conservative values centered on internal reform rather than direct opposition to the EU, he distinguishes himself by pledging to challenge EU laws he deems harmful to Romania. This approach aligns him more closely with figures like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico.
With the election set to start on Sunday, Romania is grappling with economic struggles, including a rising fiscal deficit and the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has heightened security concerns. Simeon’s potential victory could mark a shift to the right in Romania’s politics, possibly influencing the broader European Union.
The AUR party gained popularity during the pandemic, largely due to its anti-vaccine stance and controversial positions, such as downplaying the importance of Holocaust education in Romanian schools. Despite these controversies, the party is benefitting from a wider European trend toward right-wing politics. Simeon advocates for Romania’s full integration into the Schengen Area, increased industrial production within the EU, and a European executive election. However, he has stated he will defy EU laws if they threaten Romania’s interests, a stance similar to Orbán and Fico.
Internationally, Simeon has taken a measured approach to the war in Ukraine. While he has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “war criminal,” Simeon has promised to halt military aid to Ukraine and seeks a swift peace deal, even at the cost of territorial concessions to Russia. These views have led to allegations of ties with Russian spies, which Simeon denies. Furthermore, the Ukrainian government has banned him from entering due to his support for a unified ideology that includes Moldova and parts of Ukraine.
MENAFN24112024000045015687ID1108919839
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=67432109525e437ba72a1584f5d11137&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmenafn.com%2F1108919839%2FRomanias-presidential-election-draws-near&c=9351114552000779205&mkt=de-de
Author :
Publish date : 2024-11-24 03:56:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
