George Simion, often dubbed the Romanian Trump, is a prominent figure in Romania's political landscape.
A Slick, Well-Groomed Ultranationalist on Romania's Political Stage
Flaunting an eye-catching blue suit, George Simion, a far-right presidential hopeful in Romania, is turning heads. After securing over 40% of votes in the first round, Simion extended an informal gathering to a small group of international journalists, keeping Romanian media at bay. He's been criticized for reprimanding Romanian journalists for falling short on asking the right questions, reflecting his distrust of democratic institutions and a shared sentiment with his ideological counterpart, Donald Trump.
Into the mix, he promotes a conservative revolution, mirroring Trump's rhetoric. The affable candidate asserted his devotion to the MAGA movement at the inauguration of America's 45th president, eyeing the same path for Romania. This translates into a staunch stance against progressive EU policies that, in his view, encourage "LGBT madness."
Turning his gun sights on the Romanian political class and the EU, he blames them for the poverty he believes has stricken Romania. Now, he's advocating an 'Drill, baby, drill' policy, echoing one of Trump's much-loved slogans. His plan involves reclaiming Romania's natural resources to boost its economy, which have been taken over by foreign hands, leaving American interests behind.
Researcher Adina Marincea from Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania spotted Trump's rhetoric in Simion's speeches – from references to patriotism to a closer alignment with religion. Passerby of the far-right scene, Simion has drawn inspiration from the religious leader Corneliu Codreanu from the interwar period, going as far as mirroring his antisemitic wedding in a rural setting in 2022. However, to maintain his most radical voters and attract a wider audience, Simion has dialed back his radical discourse towards a softer tone.
Born in Brasov, Romania, Simion earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and master's in history. He came into limelight for his extreme nationalist beliefs, advocating for the expansion of Romania to its 1940 borders that encroaches on parts of Ukraine and Moldova. Simion fostered two supporter groups of the national soccer team, both known for their racist chants and violent behavior. In 2011 he received a six-month stadium ban.
Ushered by the pandemic and public discontent towards sanitary measures, AUR surfaced in the 2020 elections, electing 33 deputies and 14 senators. The momentum continued in the following elections in 2024, culminating in Simion's first-round victory with over 40% of votes, despite only 14% in the first round of the same election annulled due to a Russian interference attempt in favor of Calin Georgescu.
Simion's political platform is largely populist, with promises rarely met, be it a million homes at 35,000 euros for the less affluent or sacking 500,000 civil servants. He's a master of attention-grabbing stunts, causing market fluctuations, and even referring to a female MP as a "fat cow," behaviors he labels as necessary to mobilize voters.
Yet, Simion is far ahead of his opponents on TikTok, with 1.5 million subscribers and over 33 million likes. While AUR is undeniably populist, nationalist, and eurosceptic on paper, Simion's TikTok persona is more carefully curated to present himself as a savior of Romania from corruption and stagnation, all while staying in touch with his staunch nationalist principles. Detractors argue his populist approach raises concerns about the long-term impact on political discourse, including the spread of misinformation.
- George Simion, a presidential candidate in Romania, has been criticized for his conservative revolution, which echoes Donald Trump's rhetoric, and has drawn inspiration from religious leader Corneliu Codreanu.
- Simion has advocated an 'Drill, baby, drill' policy, mirroring one of Trump's slogans, to reclaim Romania's natural resources and boost its economy, currently managed by foreign interests.
- Simion's political platform, while primarily populist, also includes strong stances against progressive EU policies, viewing them as encouragement for "LGBT madness."
- Simion is popular on social media, including TikTok, where he presents himself as a savior of Romania from corruption and stagnation, while maintaining his nationalist principles, raising concerns about the long-term impact on political discourse, including the spread of misinformation.
