New poll – new leading candidate in Romania’s presidential elections
<p>The Social Democrat (PSD) leader, prime minister <strong>Marcel Ciolacu</strong>, leads in the latest electoral poll for the presidential elections operated by Insomar-Avangarde, with 30% of the voting intentions – far from the second candidate Nicolae Ciucă (Liberal Party PNL, 17%) or the independent candidate Mircea Geoana (15%).</p>

<p>However, only two in three polled persons have an option for the presidential elections.</p>

<p>Only a week earlier, Inscop Research, in a poll conducted for the Institute for Freedom and Democracy, indicated former NATO deputy secretary general Mircea Geoana as the leading candidate – indeed not far ahead of Marcel Ciolacu but anyway, not in the third place after Nicolae Ciuca and close to Save Romania Union’s candidate Elena Lasconi (14% in Insomar-Avangarde poll).</p>

<p>According to Inscop, Mircea Geoana (independent) is polling at 21.4% in voting intentions for the first round of the presidential elections, followed closely by PM and Social Democrat (PSD) leader Marcel Ciolacu at 20.3%.</p>

<p>Under the same poll operated by Insomar-Avangarde and quoted by <a href="https://hotnews.ro/marcel-ciolacu-favorit-la-alegerile-prezidentiale-potrivit-unui-sondaj-insomar-avangarde-psd-cele-mai-multe-voturi-la-parlamentare-1801090?mc_cid=62eaedc66c&amp;mc_eid=cd1f92f96c" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Hotnews.ro</a>, the Social Democrats would get the most votes in the parliamentary elections, 33%, followed by the Liberals with 22%. This would give the incumbent ruling majority robust control in the Parliament after the elections this fall.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As regards the opposition parties, Save Romania Union (USR) is expected to win 15% of the votes, radical AUR 12%, and SOS Romania 7%. Not necessarily an opposition party, ethnic Hungarian UDMR maintains its traditional 5% score, which makes it the last party to meet the electoral threshold.</p>

<p><em>iulian@romania-insider.com</em></p>

<p><em>(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Ioana Zamfir)</em></p>