TikTok and the rise of a conspiracy populist

That a political unknown with controversial views could end up as Romania's next president offers cautionary lessons on how elections can spring surprises.

- Jonathan Eyal

Romania does not regularly command much international attention. The 20 million-strong east European nation accounts for just under 5 per cent of the European Union's total population.

Dirt poor during the late 1980s when communism collapsed throughout Europe, Romania made substantial economic strides in recent years. But unlike Hungary – its smaller neighbour which has made a name for itself by being the awkward member in the EU and Nato – the Romanians progressed by going along with whatever was the European consensus.

Keeping out of the limelight is a strategy that paid off. In terms of national wealth per capita, Romania is about to overtake Hungary, once Eastern Europe's wealthiest state. And soon, Romania will host Nato's most significant airbase and the continent's first US-run ballistic missile defence system.

Yet at their recently held national election, Romanians stunned all of Europe by voting in large numbers for a completely unknown far-right conspiracy-obsessed extremist politician opposed to both the EU and Nato as their country's potential future president.

Mr Calin Georgescu, a 62-year-old engineer with no political experience, emerged from nowhere to win 23 per cent of the ballots in the first round of the presidential vote on Nov 24.

ANTI-VAXXER WHO TALKS TO ALIENS

And unless Romania's established political class manages to block his advances by convincing enough voters to turn away from him, Mr Georgescu could well become Romania's head of state in the decisive second round of the ballots on Dec 8, putting a man who claims to be conversing regularly with the inhabitants of other planets in charge of the country's foreign and military policies.