Romanian PM Ciolacu pulls party out of government after nationalist vote win

Bucharest [Romania], May 6: Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned and his Social Democrat party is to leave the government after a right-wing nationalist candidate won the first round of the presidential election.
George Simion, a eurosceptic who has promised to put Romania first, won 40.9% of Sunday's vote and is expected to win a run-off vote on 18 May.
He will face liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who narrowly defeated the Social Democrat (PSD) candidate.
Ciolacu told party supporters that as the coalition had failed to meet its objective and "has no credibility after the Romanian vote, I will propose that PSD leaves this coalition".
His party had only come to power in a pro-EU coalition after elections on December 1, 2024, although George Simion's far-right party along with two other groupings had attracted a third of the vote.
Ciolacu is now expected to submit his resignation to interim president Ilie Bolojan, who will then appoint a caretaker prime minister.
Bolojan himself took on the role of interim president last February because of the scandal surrounding the annulment of the presidential vote.
Simion's victory was largely driven by popular frustration at the annulment of presidential elections late last year. His likely success on May 18 is awaited nervously in European capitals, as well as in Kiev. He has said he wants an EU of strong, sovereign nations.
Simion is set to face conservative liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, an independent, who won around 21% of votes after all polling stations had been counted early Monday. Dan narrowly beat Crin Antonescu, backed by the centre-right and social-democratic governing coalition. Antonescu, who garnered 20.1% of votes, conceded defeat. Antonescu and Dan were separated by about 56,000 votes.
Source: Qatar Tribune