The Growth of Romanian Diaspora Participation in the Second Round of Presidential Elections: Voter Turnout Nearly Doubled
In the second round of Romania's presidential elections, an unexpected and very significant increase in abroad voter activity has been observed, becoming one of the key phenomena of these elections. According to data obtained from "European Pravda" and citing the popular Romanian news outlet HotNews, the turnout of Romanians outside the country this time significantly exceeded the figures from the first round, demonstrating almost a twofold increase. Official figures show that, compared to the first round, the number of Romanian voters abroad who cast their ballots increased overall by 86%. This surge highlights a strong interest and active engagement of the Romanian diaspora ahead of the decisive stage of the presidential race. This trend was particularly pronounced in countries where Romanian communities have large populations. Specifically, in the United Kingdom and Moldova, there was almost a doubling in the number of voters exercising their right to vote. In Moldova, approximately 23,000 Romanian citizens voted in the first round, while in the second, their number nearly doubled to about 52,000. Similarly, in the UK, around 29,000 voted in the first round, and now their number has increased to over 59,000. This indicates a growing activity and a desire among abroad citizens to participate actively in political processes in their homeland. A significant contribution to this trend was made by an extensive political campaign and active campaigning efforts. Over the past two weeks, leaders of the Romanian diaspora and heads of local community organizations have been actively urging people to vote for the candidate who, in the second round, has a great chance of winning — Nikushor Danu. They used every opportunity to draw voters' attention, emphasizing the importance of democratic choice and participation in voting. Against this background of activity, it is important to note that during the first round of voting on May 4, the leading position in the presidential race was taken by George Simion, a representative of far-right forces, who received 40.94% of the votes. His opponent, the liberal Bucharest mayor Nikushor Danu, garnered 20.99% and is now competing in the second round. Following the results of the first round, Danu also issued demands to Ukraine — urging compensation for the assistance Romania provided to Ukraine as part of efforts to support security and stability in the region. Thus, the mass activation of the diaspora and increased abroad turnout have become one of the main factors potentially influencing the distribution of strength in the second round. This phenomenon indicates not only the interest of Romanians in political processes but also their pragmatic participation in shaping the country's future. The outcome of this stage of the election campaign will only be revealed by time. However, it is already clear that participation abroad is of crucial importance for the proportional support of candidates and demonstrates a high level of political activity among the Romanian diaspora, which actively seeks to influence the geopolitical trajectory of their homeland.