Romania holds presidential election first round on Sunday
Eurosceptic George Simion leads in opinion polls
Two centrists battle for place in May 18 run-off
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Simion win could isolate Romania in EU and NATO
By Luiza Ilie
BUCHAREST, May 4 (Reuters) - Romanians vote on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could propel hard-right eurosceptic George Simion to power in a ballot that will test the rise of Donald-Trump-style nationalism in the European Union.
Simion, 38, opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, best hotels near newark airport is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with the U.S. president's Make America Great Again movement.
Five months after a first attempt to hold the election was cancelled after the first round because of alleged Russian interference in favour of far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu, since banned from standing again, his heir apparent Simion leads opinion polls, riding a wave of popular anger.
Voting starts at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and ends at 9 p.m. (1800 GMT) with exit polls to follow immediately. The large contingent of Romanians abroad, where Simion is popular, began voting on Friday, with the early turnout more than twice that of November's cancelled first round.
Simion is polling at around 30%, a comfortable lead but well short of the 50% he needs to avoid a run-off on May 18.
"George Simion equals Calin Georgescu, he gets my vote," said Aurelia, 66, a pensioner who declined to give her last name and said she felt "humiliated" by the cancellation of November's first round.
"Everything is lacking here. My children are not here: Did they leave to work abroad because things were so good here?"
Political analysts said an ultimate victory for Simion could isolate the country, erode private investment and destabilise NATO's eastern flank, where Romania's neighbour Ukraine is fighting a Russian invasion.
Simion's main rivals are two centrists, former senator Crin Antonescu, 65, backed by the three parties in the current pro-Western government, and Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, 55, running as an independent on an anti-corruption platform.
Both are pro-EU and pro-NATO and back Ukraine. Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has turned conservative nationalist, is ranked fourth but could prove a dark horse.
MAGA-STYLE LEADERS
Simion is not the only MAGA-style politician seeking election in central Europe. Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate backed by Poland's main nationalist opposition party in a presidential election on May 18, met Trump this week.
If elected, they would expand a cohort of eurosceptic leaders that already includes the Hungarian and Slovak prime ministers.
"Romania and Poland are two important countries for the United States," Simion told Reuters on Friday.
"We represent partners and we represent allies, both military and politically, to the current (U.S.) administration. This is why it is important for MAGA presidents to be in charge in Bucharest and Warsaw."
The Trump administration has accused Romania of suppressing political opposition and lacking democratic values after November's election was canceled. A team of U.S. observers were in Bucharest for Sunday's vote.
Separately, a decision by the Trump administration on Friday to revoke Romania's inclusion in the U.S. visa-free travel program was likely to bolster the Simion vote, analysts said, by implying failure on the part of the pro-Western government.
Romania has donated a Patriot air defence battery to Kyiv, is training Ukrainian fighter pilots and has enabled the export of some 30 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta since Russia's 2022 invasion.
Romania's president is limited to two five-year terms, and has a semi-executive role that includes commanding the armed forces and chairing the security council that decides on military aid.
The president represents Romania at EU and NATO summits, can veto important EU votes and appoints the prime minister, chief judges, prosecutors and secret service heads. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
