Former Minister of Health and current presidential advisor, Vlad Voiculescu, accuses the INSCOP institute and the PNL of manipulating opinion polls to influence the electoral race in Bucharest.
Cătălin Drulă, the USR candidate for the Mayor of Bucharest, reacted strongly after the release of a new INSCOP Research poll that places him in 4th place in the voters’ preferences.
Drulă accuses political strategies and coordinated pressures to influence the public before the elections.
What surprises is the positioning of Anca Alexandrescu (AUR) in 3rd place, well above the percentages of Cătălin Drulă. Voiculescu and Drulă consider Anca Alexandrescu’s ranking as a consequence of her being „inflated” with the aim of mobilizing the sovereigntist electorate.
### Voiculescu: INSCOP delivers for PNL. Poisoned polls and dirty tactics
In a [public post, Voiculescu](https://www.facebook.com/VladVoiculescu.ro) claims that INSCOP has repeatedly provided erroneous results in favor of the PNL.
He recalls that in 2024, the institute significantly overestimated the scores of some candidates: Cristian Popescu Piedone, rated at 39% and obtaining 15%; Nicușor Dan, rated at 30% and obtaining 47%; Sebastian Burduja and Mircea Geoană, about whom he claims were „artificially inflated.”
„Now, Ciucu and the PNL are using the same dirty tactics as last year. Poisoned polls, the same methods used against Nicușor in 2016 and 2024,” Voiculescu states.
He argues that independent polls, including the one commissioned by Hotnews, show equality between Cătălin Drulă (USR), Daniel Băluță (PSD), and Ciprian Ciucu (PNL), with differences within the margin of error.
– [AtlasIntel, the polling agency that best anticipated the past elections in Bucharest, shows a very tight race with 4 candidates within the margin of error](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/politica/atlasintel-casa-de-sondare-care-a-anticipat-cel-mai-bine-alegerile-trecute-din-bucuresti-arata-o-cursa-foarte-stransa-cu-4-candidati-in-marja-de-eroare)
Furthermore, Voiculescu claims that the survey presented by Ciucu „artificially inflates” the score of the AUR-supported candidate Anca Alexandrescu, generating mobilization within the sovereigntist electorate.
„Bucharest needs a mayor with character, not someone who inflates extremists,” Voiculescu conveys, describing Drulă as „the only candidate who has shown character in the last 5 years.”
### Drulă: „We will kill you with polls”. USR candidate accuses coordinated pressures and manipulations
[Cătălin Drulă, the USR candidate for the Mayor of the Capital](https://www.facebook.com/catalindrulausr), reacts to the same INSCOP poll, stating that political strategies are trying to undermine his campaign through „doctored polls.”
„‘We will kill you with polls.’ That’s what they told me when the elections were decided to be held,” Drulă writes on Facebook, claiming that the objective is „capturing the Capital for PNL-PSD” and protecting „crony networks at public expense.”
He directly criticizes Ciprian Ciucu, the PNL candidate: „Ciprian, not like this! This is not how the fight is conducted, with the means used in Ciucă’s campaign.”
Drulă publicly challenges Ciucu to a debate: „Do you have the dignity and manliness to come to a debate! Stop the manipulations and arrogance.”
### Results of the INSCOP survey that sparked reactions
The INSCOP Research poll, conducted between November 17-19, 2025, shows:
#### **Voter Intentions – Potential Voters**
1. Daniel Băluță (PSD) – 26.6%
2. Ciprian Ciucu (PNL) – 24.2%
3. Anca Alexandrescu – 19.1%
4. Cătălin Drulă (USR) – 11.6%
#### **Voter Intentions – Mobilized Voters**
1. Ciprian Ciucu (PNL) – 27.1%
2. Daniel Băluță (PSD) – 24%
3. Anca Alexandrescu – 21.3%
4. Cătălin Drulă (USR) – 12.1%
The placement of Anca Alexandrescu in third place, with a score well above that of the USR candidate, is considered by Voiculescu and Drulă as a consequence of her being „inflated” in the poll to mobilize the sovereigntist electorate.
PNL and Ciprian Ciucu have not yet responded to the accusations.
Here are the other three recent polls for Bucharest:
– [Avangarde: Daniel Băluță (PSD) – favorite for the Mayor of the Capital with 24%. Last year, the same polling agency estimated 20% below Nicușor Dan’s result](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/politica/avangarde-daniel-baluta-psd-favorit-la-primaria-capitalei-cu-24-anul-trecut-aceeasi-casa-de-sondare-a-estimat-cu-20-in-minus-rezultatul-lui-nicusor-dan)
– [AtlasIntel, the polling agency that best anticipated the past elections in Bucharest, shows a very tight race with 4 candidates within the margin of error](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/politica/atlasintel-casa-de-sondare-care-a-anticipat-cel-mai-bine-alegerile-trecute-din-bucuresti-arata-o-cursa-foarte-stransa-cu-4-candidati-in-marja-de-eroare)
– [Race for the Capital: Băluță in first place, Ciucu and Drulă are „shoulder to shoulder” – CURS poll](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/politica/cursa-pentru-capitala-baluta-pe-primul-loc-ciucu-si-drula-sunt-umar-la-umar-sondaj-curs)