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Daily SumUp

Romanian PM Ciolacu and party quit government after nationalist vote win

Season 1, Ep. 8171

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned and his Social Democrat party is to leave the government after a right-wing nationalist candidate won the first round of the presidential election.


George Simion, a eurosceptic who has promised to put Romania first, won 40.9% of Sunday's vote and is expected to win a run-off vote on 18 May.


He will face liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who narrowly defeated the Social Democrat (PSD) candidate.


Sunday's result plunged Romania - an EU state on Nato's eastern flank - into further political turmoil. Ciolacu told colleagues that as their coalition had failed to meet its objective and "has no legitimacy", they should pull out of the government.

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