The first poll after Romania’s ruling coalition changed its strategy and came up with separate candidates shows that Bucharest opposition mayor Nicusor Dan (United Right Alliance - ADU) is expected to get another term. 

The poll was carried out by Avangarde for the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

PSD and PNL on April 22/23 abandoned the idea of a joint candidate for Bucharest mayoral elections, while this strategy remains in place for some key Romanian cities.

Social Democrat (PSD) candidate Gabriela Firea would get 24% of the votes, 7 percentage points less than Nicusor Dan (31%) but 4 percentage points more than the former challenger of incumbent mayor, Cristian Popescu Piedone (20%), Gursdeguvernare.ro reported. 

The Liberal (PNL) candidate Sebastian Burduja (15%) is rated at half the score of the incumbent and leading candidate Nicusor Dan, therefore is not a key player in the single-round elections for Bucharest mayor.

The ruling coalition formed by Social Democrats and Liberals could, in principle, form a majority in Bucharest City Council thanks to their scores (31% and 20%) indicated by the Avangarde poll. 

However, Nicusor Dan said he would seek to keep the alliance formed by his party (ADU, including USR and its allies) and the Liberal Party.

Separately, Avangarde’s poll for the European elections shows the ruling coalition (PSD-PNL) leading with 51% of the votes. Notably, the far-right party AUR is rated at only 11% – less than half of the electoral support of the United Right Alliance (ADU, 26%). Other relevant parties would be SOS Romani (far-right, 2% of the votes) and REPER (the party of former PM, currently MEP Dacian Ciolos).

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Malina Norocea)