The most trusted public figure in Romania is Raed Arafat, the head of the Department for Emergency Situations, with 59% of respondents to a new Sociopol survey saying they have confidence in him.

More than 1,000 people took part in the survey carried out in the period August 7-20.

President Klaus Iohannis comes next in the top, with a share of 33%, followed by Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea with 26%, local Adevarul reported.

Laura Codruta Kovesi, the former head of the National Anticorruption Department (DNA), is also in the top five, followed by MEP Mircea Diaconu. Social democrat leader Liviu Dragnea is tenth on the list, with a share of 15%.

When it comes to the Romanians’ voting intentions, the results show that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) would still get most votes (35%), followed by the National Liberal Party – PNL (19%), and the Romania Together Movement - RO+ (13%), which is the new party founded by former technocrat prime minister Dacian Ciolos. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), which is the junior coalition partner of PSD, would get 10% of votes, while Save Romania Union (USR) would get 8%.

One year before EP elections, Romanians’ trust in the EU goes up

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com