Romania to the polls for European and local elections

(ANSA) - BUCHAREST, MAY 29 - On June 9, Romania returns to the polls on a day that will see the country involved in both European parliamentary and local elections, including those in the capital, Bucharest. The last vote for the European Parliament in 2019 marked an unprecedented turnout - more than 50 percent of eligible voters went to the polls, and over 30 percent more than those in 2014 - reflecting a growing pro-European sentiment in the Balkan country.
    Compared to five years ago, the domestic political scenario has substantially changed, as the two main parties, the The Social Democrats (SDP) and the Liberals (NLP) have become allies as of September 2021 and are presenting themselves together in this election, despite belonging to opposite sides. These two parties will likely gain most of the 33 seats reserved for Romania in the European Parliament. The two leaders of the National Coalition, Premier Marcel Ciolacu (PSD) and former Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca (NLP) announced participation in joint lists in the European elections last February and the amalgamation of the latter with local elections.
    Challenging the National Coalition may be the United Right Alliance, formed by USR (Union Saves Romania), PMP (People's Movement Party), and FD (Right Force). In contrast, curiosity and expectation about the election result aroused the far-right formation of AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romania), an ultranationalist, Euro-skeptic, and populist party that, founded in December 2019, is at its first participation in the MEPs after 2020 succeeded, to everyone's surprise, in entering the National Parliament in Bucharest.
    This political context also includes REPER (Let's Renew Romania's European project) but does not see any aligned forces for the center-left. (ANSA).