Crucial elections in Poland and Romania: A populist backlash in Eastern Europe?
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Many EU leaders were undoubtedly relieved when the result of the Romanian presidential election was announced on the night of May 18. Nicusor Dan, who had campaigned on a platform of pro-Western stability, defeated the firebrand populist and Eurosceptic George Simion. Indeed, Dan achieved a stunning reversal, after heavily losing the first round. But Simion still won more than five million votes, or around 46 percent, which highlighted a deep fracture in Romanian society.
Poland, which holds the second round of its presidential election on June 1, is similarly fractured. The hard-right Law and Justice party, well known for its run-ins with Brussels when it was in power, made a strong showing in the first round, with its preferred candidate Karol Nawrocki coming in only slightly behind the frontrunner, Rafal Trzaskowski.
We look at the appeal of these anti-establishment forces in the former communist eastern bloc countries, with our panel of MEPs. (None of the MEPs from the “sovereigntist” camp that we contacted was available to take part.)
24 episodes