Latest news with #pro-West
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- General
- Edmonton Journal
Exclusive interview: The exiled Crown Prince of Iran
Article content Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former Shah of Iran, is fast emerging as a potentially pivotal figure in Middle Eastern politics. As the only major Iranian opposition leader to openly advocate for a pro-West and pro-Israel position, Pahlavi's vision for a post-theocratic Iran is not just a matter of internal reform, but a potential sea change for regional stability and global security.
Saudi Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Romania's pro-West candidate Nicușor Dan wins presidential election in dramatic comeback
BUCHAREST — Pro-West independent candidate Nicusor Dan staged a dramatic comeback on Sunday to win the Romanian presidential elections with a firm 54% of the votes. His contender, hard-right candidate George Simion, with 46% of votes, at first refused to concede in an unprecedented political thriller which transfixed and polarised the country on NATO's eastern flank, but then relented, congratulating Dan on his victory late on Sunday night. 'It's a bitter feeling, but this election is just the beginning," Simion said, congratulating his opponent. Romanians have chosen to continue their current pro-Western course by turning out in record numbers to vote for the unassuming mayor of Bucharest and against the nationalist doctrines represented by Simion and his ally Calin Georgescu. But the deep divisions in fractured Romanian society, represented by the small difference in the votes, mean that future president Dan faces a massive challenge to reunite the country and address the looming economic turmoil gripping Romania. But Romania's choice brings a substantial sigh of relief for the EU, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, at a crucial time for all, also because president-elect Dan will work with the current pro-West majority in parliament. Campaigning on an anti-corruption and reformist platform, pledging honesty and decency, Dan has not only beaten the hard-right Simion but also the entire Romanian political establishment in the two rounds of the presidential re-run after the Constitutional Court annulled the previous presidential vote held in November and December 2024, setting off an unprecedented, destabilizing political crisis. Dan's campaign also received a boost in the only national presidential debate hosted by Euronews Romania, which was seen as the turning point of the political battle for the presidency. Addressing the jubilant crowds waving Romanian and EU flags in central Bucharest, Dan proclaimed that 'from tomorrow, Romania begins a new stage.' His message was clear and not addressed to the political parties but to the civil society of Romania, while calling for national reconciliation. 'We need specialists for public policies, the civil society and new people in politics,' Dan announced. 'My message to those who lost today, our full respect to those who had another option. We have to build Romania together, regardless of political options, with the Romanians in Romania, diaspora, (Republic of) Moldova and the Romanians in the neighboring countries,' Dan said. At the same time, his supporters chanted 'unity'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Dan and said Ukraine is "looking forward to further developing the strategic partnership between our friendly nations for the sake of their stability, security and prosperity." French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and other leaders also congratulated Dan. A record turnout of 11 million Romanians, or 64%, in Romania and the diaspora, marked by fear and resentment, has turned the page on a six-month-long political turmoil sparked by the annulled presidential elections. Earlier on Sunday, Simion declared himself "Romania's new president" at his party's gathering in the Romanian parliament in Bucharest before the official count began. "A new era is born tonight. It is time for an epoch in which Romania be democratic, Christian and rich. So help us God," Simion announced. "We are the clear winners of these elections. We claim the victory in the name of the Romanian people. It is the victory of the humiliated Romanian people," he said. "It does not matter which side each of us has been in these elections, this is democracy, we now need to shake hands.' Simion also thanked the Romanian diaspora, whom he visited extensively over the last days of the presidential campaign earlier this week. "I owe today's victory to the Romanian diaspora. You Romanian who left abroad, you must know that only with you we can make Romania great among the states of the free world." "I don't promise miracles, but I promise to be among you," he concluded. Simion then left the stage to the sound of Village People's "YMCA," one of US President Donald Trump's favorite tracks on his 2024 campaign trail. In the last hours of the voting, Romania's foreign, interior and defense ministries denounced what they called 'Russian interference,' warning voters about a fake news campaign rolled out on Telegram, TikTok and other social media platforms. The Romanian foreign ministry spokesperson Andrei Tarnea said on X Sunday that 'once again we see the distinctive signs of Russian interference (...) to influence the electoral process. "This was expected," he added. In a coordinated move, the three ministries revealed that a fake video published on Sunday 'falsely claims that French troops in Romania secretly wear Romanian gendarmerie uniforms to intervene internally,' has been linked directly to Russia. Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that he refused a request from 'a Western country', which he didn't name, to 'silence' the conservative voices in Romania. 'Telegram will not restrict the liberties of Romanian users, nor will it block their political channels', Durov said. — Euronews
Euronews
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Nicușor Dan wins Romanian presidential election in dramatic comeback
Pro-West independent candidate Nicusor Dan staged a dramatic comeback on Sunday to win the Romanian presidential elections with a firm 54% of the votes. His contender, hard-right candidate George Simion, with 46% of votes, at first refused to concede in an unprecedented political thriller which transfixed and polarised the country on NATO's eastern flank, but then relented, congratulating Dan on his victory late on Sunday night. 'It's a bitter feeling, but this election is just the beginning," Simion said, congratulating his opponent. Romanians have chosen to continue their current pro-Western course by turning out in record numbers to vote for the unassuming mayor of Bucharest and against the nationalist doctrines represented by Simion and his ally Calin Georgescu. But the deep divisions in fractured Romanian society, represented by the small difference in the votes, mean that future president Dan faces a massive challenge to reunite the country and address the looming economic turmoil gripping Romania. But Romania's choice brings a substantial sigh of relief for the EU, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, at a crucial time for all, also because president-elect Dan will work with the current pro-West majority in parliament. Campaigning on an anti-corruption and reformist platform, pledging honesty and decency, Dan has not only beaten the hard-right Simion but also the entire Romanian political establishment in the two rounds of the presidential re-run after the Constitutional Court annulled the previous presidential vote held in November and December 2024, setting off an unprecedented, destabilising political crisis. Dan's campaign also received a boost in the only national presidential debate hosted by Euronews Romania, which was seen as the turning point of the political battle for the presidency. Addressing the jubilant crowds waving Romanian and EU flags in central Bucharest, Dan proclaimed that 'from tomorrow, Romania begins a new stage.' His message was clear and not addressed to the political parties but to the civil society of Romania, while calling for national reconciliation. 'We need specialists for public policies, the civil society and new people in politics,' Dan announced. 'My message to those who lost today, our full respect to those who had another option. We have to build Romania together, regardless of political options, with the Romanians in Romania, diaspora, (Republic of) Moldova and the Romanians in the neighbouring countries,' Dan said. At the same time, his supporters chanted 'unity'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Dan and said Ukraine is "looking forward to further developing the strategic partnership between our friendly nations for the sake of their stability, security and prosperity." French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and other leaders also congratulated Dan. A record turnout of 11 million Romanians, or 64%, in Romania and the diaspora, marked by fear and resentment, has turned the page on a six-month-long political turmoil sparked by the annulled presidential elections. Earlier on Sunday, Simion declared himself "Romania's new president" at his party's gathering in the Romanian parliament in Bucharest before the official count began. "A new era is born tonight. It is time for an epoch in which Romania be democratic, Christian and rich. So help us God," Simion announced. "We are the clear winners of these elections. We claim the victory in the name of the Romanian people. It is the victory of the humiliated Romanian people," he said. "It does not matter which side each of us has been in these elections, this is democracy, we now need to shake hands.' Simion also thanked the Romanian diaspora, whom he visited extensively over the last days of the presidential campaign earlier this week. "I owe today's victory to the Romanian diaspora. You Romanian who left abroad, you must know that only with you we can make Romania great among the states of the free world." "I don't promise miracles, but I promise to be among you," he concluded. Simion then left the stage to the sound of Village People's "YMCA," one of US President Donald Trump's favourite tracks on his 2024 campaign trail. In the last hours of the voting, Romania's foreign, interior and defence ministries denounced what they called 'Russian interference,' warning voters about a fake news campaign rolled out on Telegram, TikTok and other social media platforms. The Romanian foreign ministry spokesperson Andrei Tarnea said on X Sunday that 'once again we see the distinctive signs of Russian interference (…) to influence the electoral process. "This was expected," he added. In a coordinated move, the three ministries revealed that a fake video published on Sunday 'falsely claims that French troops in Romania secretly wear Romanian gendarmerie uniforms to intervene internally,' has been linked directly to Russia. Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that he refused a request from 'a Western country', which he didn't name, to 'silence' the conservative voices in Romania. 'Telegram will not restrict the liberties of Romanian users, nor will it block their political channels', Durov said. Learn more from Euronews Romania's live coverage of the presidential election repeat's runoff here.
Euronews
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Simion's Romanian presidential election win sets stage for tough runoff battle
ADVERTISEMENT Nationalist candidate George Simion won the first round of Romania's presidential election with some 40.1% of the vote, according to the preliminary results on Sunday. With 97.8% of votes counted, the race for second place—which will take the candidate to the runoff to face off against Simion in two weeks' time—between two pro-West candidates, the independent Nicușor Dan (20.68%), who leapfrogged big tent coalition's Crin Antonescu (20.59%) last minute, remains too close to call. Also, parts of Romania's diaspora showed strong support for Simion: 77% of Romanians voting in Italy and 80% of those in Spain backed the AUR party leader on Sunday, preliminary results show. The pre-election polls all pointed to Simion as the winner of the first round. However, the score of independent candidate Dan, the mayor of Bucharest and an outsider, surprised and sent a clear message to the government coalition, which got together to nominate Crin Antonescu as the main party's candidate. Romania faces a tough battle for the second round in two weeks, having to choose between an inward, nationalist candidate and a pro-EU and pro-NATO one. After the initial exit polls showed Simion in the lead on Sunday, most party leaders and candidates announced they would wait for the final results. However, Simion had already declared a 'victory for Romania's dignity' and called for vigilance in counting the votes to prevent fraud. Simion has been riding an anti-establishment wave, fuelled by ultranationalist Calin Georgescu, the ex-presidential candidate whose victory in the cancelled elections in December 2024 has thrown Romania into unprecedented turmoil. He broke away from the traditional on-stage appearance next to other party leaders and supporters, opting for a Georgescu-style statement alone at a desk. 'Today, the Romanian people have voted, the Romanian people have spoken. This is a victory of Romanian dignity, the victory of those who haven't lost hope, of those who still believe in Romania, in a free, respected, sovereign country,' Simion said on Sunday evening. Simion, whose popularity has steadily risen in recent years, is a vocal critic of the EU, particularly its continued support of Ukraine. He also has a standing ban on entry to Ukraine and Moldova. Judging by the exit polls, Romanians have chosen to vote for individuals, and not political parties, pointing to the failure of the big tent coalition — which included the centre-left PSD, liberal party PNL and the Hungarian minority party UDMR/RMDSZ — to inspire its voters. According to Euronews Romania sources, the liberals have accused the PSD of not mobilising their voters across the country, especially in rural areas, to throw their weight behind the coalition candidate, Antonescu. However, exit polls in Romania have been unreliable in the past, and the official results might paint a different picture, particularly because of the diaspora vote, which has the power to turn the tide. Some 53% of Romanians went to the polls on Sunday, according to official figures, indicating higher mobilisation than in the annulled vote in December. For more updates, follow Euronews Romania's live coverage on .
Telegraph
27-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Poland unveils plan to become major military power
Poland has unveiled a new national plan that ensures it has a stronger army than any of its neighbours. 'Our army must be able to repel any threat,' Donald Tusk, the prime minister, said on Friday as he announced the 'Piast Doctrine', named after the country's founding dynasty. Mr Tusk said the plan would have three central aims: for Poland to have 'the strongest army in the region, the strongest economy in the region and a strong position in the European Union.' 'We are ready to build the strongest army in this part of the world. We do this together, regardless of our views,' he added. The prime minister did not define what he meant by strongest army or economy, and it was not clear if he meant that Warsaw should be militarily stronger than Russia, with whom it shares a 130-mile border. 'There is a certain level of strategic ambiguity about what they [Poland] want – they will let the Russians speculate' said Natalie Vogel, a research fellow at the IWP Center for Intermarium Studies. Poland, which spends 4.7 per cent of its GDP on defence, already has Nato's third largest military after a rapid rearmament programme that doubled the size of the armed forces in just a decade. Mr Tusk said the new doctrine would cement the country's pro-West orientation. 'Putting the crown on his head, Boleslaw the Brave announced that the kingdom of Poland was becoming part of the West – the West as a political community, a community of values, a community of religion,' Mr Tusk told the crowd at a ceremony in Gniezno marking the 1,000th anniversary of the coronation of the first Polish king. 'This choice, constantly renewed, sometimes questioned by our enemies, sometimes questioned by some in Poland, requires constant effort – and it is still, and will always be, relevant,' he added. Ms Vogel said the Polish prime minister's words were 'a high level of psychological warfare, to demonstrate that they are the Europeans that are able to defend the Nato eastern flank including the Baltic state against Russian invasion'. She added that this 'toughened up' language was also intended to combat the threat from the Right-wing opposition Law & Justice party ahead of this year's presidential election. Mr Tusk's call on Friday for Poland to become an economic powerhouse came on the same day the Warsaw stock exchange's WIG index topped 100,000 points for the first time, a symbolic milestone reflecting the country's sustained growth. Polish households have earned more than Spanish ones since 2023, and some economic predictions show they are due to overtake British households by 2030.
