PARIS, May 5. /TASS/. Leader of France’s parliamentary faction the National Rally Marine Le Pen believes that the first round of the presidential election in Romania, where head of the nationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians George Simion leads, has become a setback for the EU, including European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen.
"Mrs. von der Leyen received a very impressive boomerang from Romania," Le Pen said on X and accompanied the posting by results of the first round of the re-run.
Simion won 40.96% of the vote, while independent candidate, Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan won 20.99%. They will participate in the second round on May 18.
The current polls are repeat elections. The planned presidential elections were interrupted at the end of last year by the Constitutional Court after nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu received most votes in the first round on November 24. The court explained its ruling by illegal financing of Georgescu’s campaign, hacker attacks on the digital election infrastructure and alleged but unproven Russian interference. Although this unprecedented step caused a scandal both in Romania and abroad, the government took note of the Constitutional Court's decision and called a repeat presidential election.