George Simion’s Re-radicalization after what, for many, was a surprising and rapid acceptance of defeat, without objections, accusations, or calls to fight, which was feared to be used to generate chaos, seems largely to be a strategy of individual political survival.
After the initial moments of dizziness in the radical sovereignist area, accusations of betrayal began to flow. And they are not necessarily unfounded.
The Bizarre Unforced Errors
After an almost error-free campaign for the first round, as evidenced by the huge score on May 4, George Simion started making mistakes. Of course, we can talk about the swelling of his head in line with the 40 percent, the certainty of victory, about primitivism, but the string of errors was far too long and consistent, cascading and abruptly increasing, for these explanations to be satisfactory.
For example, it is hard to understand why you would make your first public appearance after the first round to say how you tricked people with the 35,000 euro houses, implicitly making fools of those who believed you.
Why would you announce that you will attend debates after having done so well without them in the first round, and then disappear? You don't go to hostile television stations and play the victim, but why make Micutzu' hostile towards you?
When Victor Ponta's votes are vital and sufficient to bring you victory, why would you insult him and defy Romania TV? How can you, as a sovereignist, thank the U.S. for sanctioning your country?
Each of these mistakes could be explained individually, but all together, one after the other, may suggest that the man, flanked by consultants, wanted to lose at all costs. Something that cannot be forgiven. And so, he needs agitation and victimization. And the television stations, still in campaign mode, fell into the trap and created the agitation.
It is true that Simion has behind him 5.3 million votes, but not all of them belong entirely to the "young protege," and the legacy is also extremely volatile, as is the case with any defeated or victorious candidate. After the electoral excitement, expectations are high, and disappointment comes easily.
The New National Interest and the Furious Millions
We already see important developments on the political scene. POT is disintegrating, with the departure of another 6 parliamentarians, announcing a new political movement that will "represent the alternative, the new democratic home for a conservative, sovereignist, decent politics."
Claudiu Târziu has already left AUR, and after George Simion's defeat, suspected of betrayal, he may be followed by a part of the party into the Conservative Action, his new formation.
Victor Ponta is also preparing a new sovereignist conservative movement and is expected to take some members from PSD, putting significant pressure on the new social democratic leadership.
This disintegration of what represented George Simion's electoral base is only seemingly good news. Certainly, following the model of General Oprea and national interest, a parliamentary majority for a government can be patched together. We have seen this movie before; we are in the era of "remakes."
But these parliamentary permutations, party ruptures, and the collapse of leaders do not change the one undeniable reality. 5.3 million people are furious, unrepresented, some feel cheated now, and all feel cheated on December 6.
This huge base, half of politically active Romania, will always be in search of a leader and a party they resonate with. And as long as the demand exists, eventually, the supply will be found.
I said this before the meteoric rise of Călin Georgescu, and I was right. I say it again. The mere disappearance of a bizarre party, some bizarre leaders does not mean that the underlying condition that generated them disappears as well. On the contrary.
Therefore, the current repositioning of tectonic plates, the deep crisis of traditional parties must be viewed with great attention and certainly not with enthusiasm.
Pro-Europeanism has been given one last chance, with a great effort and just 800,000 votes away. If it is not capitalized on, if the parties do not regain their electorate and do not bridge the canyon of distrust in society, 2028 will be a disaster because, rest assured, a leader for the furious will surely be found, and they will only grow in number.