How Romanian voters stopped a pro-Russia and MAGA takeover

On Sunday, Romania stood its ground. The presidential vote was crucial not only for Romanians, but also for Europe and the Trump Administration. Russia lost its ally in Bucharest, and the transplant of MAGA ideology to Romania has failed. The EU avoided an existential crisis. Let’s not forget: George Simion (leader of the far-right AUR party) was simultaneously backed by both the Trump Administration and Russia, two forces that, despite their apparent differences, shared a temporary common interest — weakening the European Union.

The tension throughout Europe in the run-up to Romania’s election was palpable. European media covered the event extensively, and Bucharest was filled with foreign journalists. The attention wasn’t just due to the rise of an extremist candidate — that’s become rather common across the EU. The real stakes were different, and most foreign outlets underlined the same question: would Romania withstand the assault from Russia and MAGA?

This was a real threat not only to Romania, but to the entire European Union. A George Simion victory would have created a massive breach in Europe’s solidarity with Ukraine. Romania shares the longest land border with Ukraine. It’s essential for transporting military aid to the frontlines, for enabling the export of Ukrainian goods to international markets, for training troops, and for intelligence-sharing. George Simion had publicly announced that all of these would stop if he reached the presidency at Cotroceni Palace (the official residence of the Romanian President). He also stated that he would implement the policies of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an alliance that backfired, as Dan Tăpălagă pointed out.

In short, as French journalists from CNews observed, although Simion labeled Vladimir Putin a “criminal,” he parroted the Russian autocrat’s talking points. No matter how hard he tried to distance himself from the image of a Russian proxy, the reality is that Simion as president would have been another Trojan horse for Moscow at the heart of the EU.

Romania’s exit from the pro-Ukraine coalition would have been a strategic disaster for the EU. Hungary and Slovakia are already aligned with Russia, and Poland is in a critical moment, with a Trump-backed candidate making it to the final round of its presidential elections. Without Romania, European support for Ukraine would be significantly weakened — especially now, when the United States is already showing hostility toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Republic of Moldova (Romania’s eastern neighbor, with deep historical and linguistic ties) — facing elections this fall and burdened by internal vulnerabilities — would have been next in line. Vladimir Putin’s influence over EU policies would have grown exponentially.

Romania was also a target for Donald Trump. The MAGA movement seeks to export its ideology not only to validate itself internationally, but also to cultivate loyal allies to attack the European Union from within. It has already suffered three major defeats: voters in Canada, Australia, and Germany have rejected MAGA-aligned candidates. On Sunday, Romanians too rejected a candidate wearing a MAGA cap and clenching his teeth.

George Simion paid dearly for the arrogance with which he treated his fellow citizens. He did something unthinkable for any politician: he asked a foreign power — the United States — to punish Romanians by excluding them from the Visa Waiver Program (a U.S. policy allowing certain countries’ citizens visa-free travel). He then publicly thanked his MAGA friends for the effort. That kind of betrayal is never forgotten.

Why does the Trump Administration want to weaken the EU? Journalist Anne Applebaum explained it first, and it was later explicitly stated by both the U.S. president and vice president: the EU is an economic and ideological competitor, and it’s the only global bloc capable of imposing strict regulations on the tech industry — which backs Donald Trump. The U.S. seeks to dismantle the European Union into weaker, fragmented states that are easier to control.

That’s why Emmanuel Macron (President of France) and Maia Sandu (President of the Republic of Moldova) supported Nicușor Dan (Romanian technocrat politician and pro-EU presidential candidate). Both had everything to lose if George Simion won. Moldova would have become Russia’s next target. France would have seen its core vision for peace in Europe — the very idea of the EU — shattered. This victory clearly belongs to Romania and its citizens, who mobilized impressively in the face of a major threat they correctly identified: derailing the country’s pro-Western path, 35 years after the fall of communism.

Sunday’s vote was not entirely for Nicușor Dan. It was, at least in part, a vote against George Simion and the AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) vision: a break from the EU, and subordination to MAGA and Russian interests. Romanians protected their own national interest and, just as importantly, that of a united Europe. The “MEGA” (a nationalist initiative launched by Simion) project remains, for now, microscopic. The final battle now moves to Poland — another ideological and political battleground state.