The European Policy Centre invites you to this online Elections Monitor to discuss the outcome of Romania’s renewal of its political leadership. The presidential election will take place on November 24 and December 8, 2024, while the parliamentary election will be held on December 1.

A far-right populist, Călin Georgescu, surprisingly emerged as the front-runner in the first round of the presidential election. He now faces centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi in the run-off. The results could have an impact on the parliamentary elections and complicate the formation of a government.

Romania, a neighbour of Ukraine and Moldova, is a strategically important country for both the EU and NATO. This elections monitor will address pressing questions such as how the elections outcome will affect EU foreign and security policy, and most crucially support to Ukraine? Will it call into question Romania’s European and Transatlantic commitments? How will it affect EU policies like budget, migration and climate? And will Romania’s membership prospects to the Schengen area be questioned?