Posted originally on the CTH on November 24, 2024 | Sundance 

Interesting that none of the Europeans saw this outcome looming, which is likely why Samantha Power and her USAID/CIA election operation was not present for round #1.   Unfortunately, it should be expected that team USA will quickly react and dispatch assistants to help recover in round #2.

Make Romania Great Again candidate Călin Georgescu came out of nowhere and has won the first round in the presidential election.

Georgescu campaigned on an anti-EU, anti-NATO and anti-war with Russia platform; simultaneously supporting domestic farmers, domestic energy production and advocating for a Romania that is free from foreign influence.

Oh, and instead of traditional media, his campaign message was strongly directed to the Romanian people, via TikTok. Imagine that.

As noted by Politico, “Ultranationalist Călin Georgescu comes from nowhere to lead center-left PM Marcel Ciolacu and liberal Elena Lasconi in first round.

[…] According to the partial results, Georgescu leads with 22.2 percent followed by center-left Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on 20.2 percent. Reformist candidate Elena Lasconi is on 18 percent, while another hard-right candidate, George Simion, trails with 14.1 percent support, with 96 percent of precincts reporting.

An early exit poll had suggested that Lasconi was set to qualify for the presidential runoff but Georgescu surged as vote counting continued Sunday night, heralding a result that is set to upend Romanian politics.

Georgescu, extremely religious and nationalistic, campaigned on reducing Romania’s reliance on imports, supporting farmers and increasing the domestic production of food and energy.

He has also argued that the EU and NATO do not properly represent Romanian interests and claimed Russia’s war in Ukraine, a Romanian neighbor, is manipulated by American military companies.

In 2022, he claimed that the U.S. anti-missile shield located in the southern Romanian village of Deveselu is part of a confrontation policy and not a peaceful measure. Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued the same.

He said at the time that he had no support from Russia but felt close to its culture. He described Putin as “a man who loves his country.”

Georgescu also said he admired Hungary because it knows how to negotiate internationally. (read more)