Romania, which shares a 650-kilometer (400-mile) border with Ukraine, has gained strategic importance since Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022. Despite his growing domestic support, Simion’s rhetoric is reason for alarm for Nato allies.

BUCHAREST, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Romanians vote on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that may give a shot at victory to hard-right politician George Simion, who opposes military aid to Ukraine, admires Donald Trump and wants to emulate Giorgia Meloni's Italy.

Romanians were voting Sunday in the first round of a presidential election amid a surge in inflation and fears over the war in neighbouring Ukraine that could favour far-right leader George Simion.

George Simion, Romania's youngest presidential candidate, admires U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and would stop military aid to Ukraine, while his vocal anti-Brussels rhetoric chimes with that of Hungary's Viktor Orban.

Romanian far-right leader George Simion, a Donald Trump fan, has been touring the countryside, including bringing truckloads of construction material to a flood-hit village, ahead of Sunday's presidential election.

Social Democrat (PSD) leader and prime minister Marcel Ciolacu remains the frontrunner in Romania’s presidential race that sees its first round on November 24, polling at 24.3%, according to a survey by AtlasIntel conducted between November 15–20 and published by Hotnews.

Daniel MIHAILESCU/AFP/AFP Romanians voted Sunday in the first round of a presidential election amid a surge in inflation and fears over the war in neighbouring Ukraine that could favour far-right leader George Simion. The vote kicks off two weeks of ...

Experts expect the final vote to pit far-right George Simion against incumbent center-left Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The diaspora is expected to play a pivotal role in the outcome of the election.