Former National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban, now the head of the new Forta Drepeti party, has announced he is stepping out of Romania's presidential race in favour of reformist leader Elena Lasconi of Union Save Romania (USR). 

The move is aimed at triggering a consolidation of Romania's centre-right behind a single candidate a few days before the first round of the presidential ballot on November 24. However, it is too little and too late. Nationalist leader George Simion, rather than any of the remaining cente-right candidates, is seen as the most likely presidential hopeful to enter the second round of the presidential election along with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

Orban’s gesture, the sole response so far to the invitation by local PNL leader Ilie Bolojan for the unification of the centre-right, was received with sympathy by the electorate – but it is not clear whether Orban’s few potential voters will change the balance in favour of Lasconi. The reformist leader, who took over the USR leadership that came with the presidential candidate hat after the disappointing results of her party in the European elections, is facing problems in gathering even the support of her own party’s electorate.

Current PNL leader Nicolae Ciuca, independent candidate Mircea Geoana as well as Lasconi are now the main centre-right candidates still in the race. Two of them would need to resign in favour of the strongest to avoid splitting the centre-right vote. The problem is that each of them has commissioned polls that show themselves as the best possible centre-right candidate, and this leaves little room for stepping down.

As the vote approaches, Ciuca has strengthened his appeals to the electorate with “liberal and conservative” values. 

Meanwhile Geoana, a former senior Nato official, has continued to make controversial statements. In one of his latest comments, Geoana affirmed that Ukraine will not be able to recover all the territory occupied by Russia, and should accept this.

Before he resigned from his position at Nato, Geoana was regarded as the leading presidential candidate, but now is now competing with Ciuca, Campulung Muscel mayor Lasconi and Simion for a place in the second round alongside Ciolacu.