The first round of the 2025 presidential elections took place in the diaspora, with voting spanning three days from Thursday evening to Sunday evening. The total number of Romanian voters who showed up at polling stations abroad was 973,129. Voting in the diaspora ended on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 21:00 Romanian time. The voting process abroad lasted a total of 71 hours in the 965 polling stations.
As of Sunday, May 4, 2025, the number of votes from Romanians in the diaspora was 972,456. The largest numbers of Romanian voters were in Italy with 174,747, Germany with 163,548, the UK with 153,756, Spain with 119,198, Moldova with 90,851, and France with 51,521. Auckland, New Zealand, was the first polling station to close at 17:00 Romanian time, with 168 voters.
By 17:00 Romanian time, 798,187 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 16:00 Romanian time, 745,763 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 15:00 Romanian time, 689,753 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 14:00 Romanian time, 629,046 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 13:00 Romanian time, 563,833 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 12:00 Romanian time, 502,955 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 11:00 Romanian time, 455,378 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 10:00 Romanian time, 425,018 Romanians in the diaspora had voted. By 09:00 Romanian time, 410,104 Romanians in the diaspora had voted.
By 22:00 Romanian time Saturday, the number of Romanians in the diaspora who voted was 393,260. In Malaga, Spain, almost 11,000 Romanians voted on Friday, May 2, 2025 and Saturday, May 3, 2025. By 15:00 Romanian time Saturday, a total of 227,426 Romanians from the diaspora had voted, with 223,320 on supplementary lists and 4,106 by mail. By 14:00 Romanian time Saturday, over 200,000 Romanians in the diaspora had voted, with 4,106 by mail.
By 08:00 Romanian time Friday, 959 Romanians had voted at polling stations abroad, totaling 5,065 with the 4,106 mail-in votes. A total of 965 polling stations were opened in the diaspora for the 2025 presidential elections. The most polling stations were in Italy and Malta with 161, Spain with 147, the UK with 108, France and Monaco with 69, Moldova with 64, the USA with 50, Belgium with 29, and the Netherlands with 23.
Polling stations were open Friday, May 2, 2025, and Saturday, May 3, 2025, between 7:00 and 21:00 local time. On Sunday, May 4, 2025, polls opened at 7:00 and closed at 21:00 Romanian time. The voting process in the diaspora was marked by a significantly higher turnout compared to the first round of the presidential elections in November 2024, which saw only 821,703 Romanian citizens voting.
According to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the voting process abroad proceeded smoothly. "Romanians abroad had the opportunity to vote over three days, and the voting in the diaspora lasted a total of 71 hours across the 965 polling stations," the Ministry said.
In the context of the elections, initial exit poll results from CURS and AVANGARDE indicated that George Simion received over 30% of the vote, establishing himself as the frontrunner. Crin Antonescu and Nicușor Dan were closely contesting for the second position, setting the stage for a potential face-off in the second round of elections scheduled for May 18, 2025.
The elections were rescheduled for May 4, 2025, after the Constitutional Court annulled the previous elections held on November 24, 2024, citing national security concerns. This decision came after troubling revelations about dubious financing for a TikTok campaign that had rapidly increased Călin Georgescu's popularity, along with evidence of Russian interference in the electoral process.
The electoral process in Romania is characterized by its democratic principles, where the president is elected for a five-year term and can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The president holds significant authority, including representing Romania internationally, overseeing national defense, and appointing the prime minister.
As the results from the first round of the presidential elections continue to unfold, the nation is poised for a critical second round, where voters will again take to the polls to determine their leader. The heightened participation from the diaspora reflects a growing engagement among Romanians living abroad, a trend that could play a pivotal role in shaping the country's future.
Overall, the first round of the 2025 presidential elections has been marked by a robust turnout, particularly from the diaspora, and sets the stage for a closely contested second round as candidates gear up for the final push to win the presidency.
