Romanian presidential front-runner accuses Macron of interference
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Romanian nationalist presidential candidate George Simion criticizes French President Macron for "dictatorial tendencies" and alleged interference in Romania’s presidential election.
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Romanian Presidential candidate George Simion speaks to members of the business community at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, days ahead of the second round of the presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, on May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Romanian nationalist candidate George Simion has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of exhibiting "dictatorial tendencies" and interfering in Romania’s democratic process, just days before the country’s do-over presidential election.
“I love France and the French people, but I don’t like Emmanuel Macron’s dictatorial tendencies,” Simion said during an interview with French television channel CNews, adding, "I don’t respect Emmanuel Macron’s intervention in our democracy.”
Simion further said that France’s ambassador to Romania had discussed the election with the president of the Constitutional Court, which annulled the 2024 presidential vote in December due to concerns over Russian interference.
“The French ambassador has gone…through all regions of the country to convince businessmen to support my opponent, the mayor of Bucharest,” Simion added, referring to Nicușor Dan, his opponent in Sunday’s final vote.
Simion, 38, is the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and is campaigning on a nationalist platform that opposes military aid to Ukraine and supports unification with Moldova.
He faces Nicușor Dan, 55, an independent centrist and current mayor of Bucharest, who is running on a pro-European, pro-Western platform and advocates a tougher stance against Russia.
In the first round of the presidential election, Simion secured 41% of the vote, compared to Dan’s 21%. However, recent polling shows the race tightening. Politico's Poll of Polls currently places Simion at 49% and Dan at 46%.
“We are basically winning,” Simion told Politico during a visit to Brussels. “The only thing we need is fair and free elections. … I think it will be a landslide.”
