In a stunning political shift, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced his resignation on May 5, following a seismic first round of presidential elections that catapulted George Simion, a right-wing nationalist and vocal critic of the European Union, into the lead. The resignation also signals the effective collapse of Romania’s pro-EU ruling coalition, ushering in a period of political uncertainty for one of Eastern Europe’s key EU member states.

According to preliminary results reported by G4 Media, with over 95% of the ballots counted, Simion – leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) – captured an impressive 40.52% of the vote. His nearest competitors, former Senator Crin Antonescu and Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, trailed significantly, each hovering just above the 20% mark.

Addressing reporters from his party’s headquarters, a visibly resigned Ciolacu stated, “I saw the vote cast by Romanians yesterday, and it shows that the coalition, at least in its current form, lacks legitimacy. That is why I have decided that we must leave the coalition, and accordingly, I am submitting my resignation.”

The center-left Social Democratic Party (PSD), led by Ciolacu, announced it would not endorse either candidate in the upcoming runoff election scheduled for May 18. Ciolacu’s comments referenced the coalition’s 2024 electoral promise of ensuring political stability and maintaining a pro-European course-an objective that now appears shattered.

The ruling coalition, an uneasy alliance of PSD, the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), and the Hungarian minority party UDMR/RMDSZ, was........

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