ATHENS

European right-wing leaders on Monday celebrated George Simion’s strong showing in the first round of Romania’s presidential election, in which the far-right candidate emerged as the clear frontrunner.

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy premier and transport minister, congratulated Simion on X, describing the result as a triumph of popular will over political elites.

“In Romania the people finally voted, freely, with their heads and hearts. With all due respect to the ‘gentlemen’ of Brussels and their dirty tricks,” Salvini wrote.

Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who now serves as president of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament, also extended his congratulations to Simion, as did French ECR Vice President Marion Maréchal.

Simion, 38, is known for his ultra-nationalist and Eurosceptic rhetoric. Representing the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), he received over 40.9% of the vote in the first round on May 4, placing him well ahead of his competitors.

He will face off in the May 18 runoff against Nicusor Dan, the centrist mayor of Bucharest, who came in second with around 21% of the vote.

On Nov. 24, Romania held the first round of its presidential election, which was won by far-right Calin Gorgescu. But Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the results as well as a runoff scheduled for Dec. 8, saying the election process was manipulated in favor of Georgescu by a Russia-backed campaign.