The political scientist predicted an increase in the popularity of eurosceptics with Simion's victory in the elections

The possible victory of opposition candidate George Simion in the Romanian presidential election will increase the popularity of Eurosceptic politicians in the European Union (EU), but the pressure on them will also increase. Political scientist Evgeny Mikhailov shared this belief with Izvestia on May 5.

"Simion's victory will increase the popularity of Eurosceptic politicians, but you need to understand that the pressure on the same [German party] Alternative for Germany and on the same [leader of the French right-wing National Unification party] Marine Le Pen in France will increase even more. Terrified European officials will take even more harsh unconstitutional, anti-democratic efforts to suppress any dissent in the EU," he said.

According to him, Simion, who is leading in the first round of the presidential election, is a "serious call" to European officials who are talking about the coming of ultra-right forces to power "seriously and for a long time."

Mikhailov admitted that in the event of a victory, pressure would be exerted on Simion. At the same time, he noted that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico could support the Romanian candidate.

"If there is tacit support from the United States, or even public support at that time, it all depends on who he (Simion) is. If he makes statements about how convenient it is for Americans, then all this pressure will be leveled," the political scientist concluded.

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Earlier in the day, Romania's Central Election Commission (CEC) announced Simion's leadership in the first round of the presidential election after counting 100% of the votes at polling stations in the country. He dedicated the victory in the first round to Calin Georgescu, who won the elections in the fall, but the Romanian Constitutional Court overturned the results of the vote and called a repeat presidential election.