After clearly losing the first and most likely only televised debate, the AUR leader resorted to the old plan of communicating with voters on social media, avoiding interaction with Nicușor Dan, his opponent.
With 5 days left until the elections, it’s hard to analyze if Simion’s strategy will be successful. Several opinion polling companies announce that the finalists are tied, within the margin of error of sociological studies.
Clearly, giving up televised debates will help Simion retain his votes from the first round, but maintaining them may not be enough to win the elections.
In the first episode of the video podcast we launched for spotmedia.ro, „Through the Maze of News,” we tried to capture the impact of Simion’s change in strategy and whether it benefits him or not.
Journalist Pavel Lucescu says that the AUR leader is trapped, and the fact that he made it to the presidential final, coming from the underground of Romanian politics, is a disadvantage for him.
When he had to address the entire nation, he didn't know how, displaying an air of superiority, cunningly acquired in street confrontations, an attitude that has now betrayed him.
MEP Eugen Tomac, a supporter of Nicușor Dan, said that there is a close fight between the pro-European party and the pro-Russian one, and George Simion's arrival at the Cotroceni Palace poses a danger even for the Republic of Moldova.
Mathematician Ion Ambrinoc, a graduate of the University of Oxford, emphasized that Nicușor Dan's main advantage over George Simion is the former's perseverance.
He explained that achieving a mathematical performance like that of the Mayor of Bucharest, an international medalist, is a guarantee that he is accustomed to effort and never gives up.
The Wave of Aggressiveness
George Simion did not simply refuse to participate in TV debates without offering an alternative.
By withdrawing to social media, where he feels most comfortable, he is trying to prepare a campaign similar to the one that propelled Călin Georgescu.
His problem is that he does not have access to the funds used in the case of the pro-Russian candidate, Moscow has sent a pretty clear signal that it has exited TikTok, and these days, following monitoring, there are few signs that Kremlin operators are present.
But that doesn't mean he doesn't have people who theoretically know what to do and are trying.
For such a campaign, promoted on underground channels, he secretly recorded journalists from Digi 24, which is currently running on TikTok.
And for such a campaign, he also wrote that letter promising that he will deal individually with those who criticize and oppose him.
Another direction of attack that the AUR leader has taken is that of victimization.
Both he and his representatives have started to talk in electoral shows and post messages on social media about the wave of hatred towards Simion.
Indeed, political polarization has reached an unbearable intensity, but the AUR leader is the one who has resorted to physical and verbal aggressiveness as political weapons that helped him enter parliament and reach the presidential final.
George Simion has used strikes, protests, and social tensions in Romania to transfer them from the streets to social media, to expand and politically benefit from them.
Unfortunately, he has massively contributed to the creation of this polarization. He did nothing to ease societal tensions. He couldn't, as he became a politician following street confrontations, protests, and violence. Now, the wave of hatred has turned against him.
The Presidential Elections, a Complicated Affair
The first episode of the podcast "Through the Maze of News," produced for spotmedia.ro, refers to the two waves, one of aggressiveness on which George Simion rode to reach the presidential final, and the other of those who reacted and are trying to keep Romania alongside the European Union and NATO.
Those who claim that we are very close to entering the realm of political extremism are not exaggerating at all.
Any political victory has strong and immediate consequences for better or for worse, these consequences being directly related to the profile of the victor.
AUR representatives struggled to explain that the devaluation of the leu was not an effect of George Simion's victory in the first round of the presidential elections, but they were not convincing.
The perception that Romania could establish an authoritarian, anti-European regime quickly led to a reaction from financial markets. And this was supported by a series of experts.
"Through the Maze of News" is a spotmedia.ro podcast that seeks to present and analyze events, discuss with those involved and affected to help them make informed decisions.
"Romania's relationship with the European Union is essential for the country's economic future. Without the help of the European Union, we will have extremely difficult times financing our economy. Investors are concerned, and in the coming period, we should expect a higher market volatility," stated Adrian Codîrlașu, president of CFA Romania, the organization accrediting financial analysts.
Presidential elections represent the most complicated political operation, one that involves the entire society, from parties, centers of power, interest groups, business groups, and all the way to the last citizen.
Those who claim to know the outcome in advance are exaggerating; such a confrontation is played out until the last moment when the polls close. After that, the will of the majority starts to manifest, whatever it may be.