George Simion

George Simion, born on September twenty-first, nineteen eighty-six, is a prominent Romanian far-right politician, economist, historian, and journalist. He is best known as the founder and chairman of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which has emerged as the second largest party in both houses of the Romanian parliament since two thousand twenty-four. Simion's political journey took a significant turn when he ran as a candidate in the two thousand twenty-five Romanian presidential election.

Simion's academic background includes completing his high school education at the Gheorghe Lazăr National College, followed by a degree in business administration from the University of Bucharest. He later earned a master's degree in history from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University. His passion for unification led him to campaign for the integration of Moldova and Romania, establishing various associations and events, such as Action 2012 and the Centenary March, to promote this cause.

His activism has not been without consequences; Simion has faced multiple bans from entering Moldova, where he is regarded as a persona non grata due to his persistent campaigning. In two thousand nineteen, he entered the political arena as an independent candidate for the European Parliament election, securing one hundred seventeen thousand one hundred forty-one votes. This success paved the way for the founding of the AUR party on September nineteenth, two thousand nineteen, which gained significant attention for its unexpected performance in the two thousand twenty Romanian parliamentary election.

Throughout his career, Simion has been embroiled in various controversies, including AUR's support for former military officers linked to the repression of revolutionaries during the nineteen eighty-nine Romanian Revolution and his involvement in the Valea Uzului ethnic conflict. Despite these challenges, he continued to rise in the political landscape, ultimately running as the AUR candidate in the May two thousand twenty-five presidential election, where he won the first round but lost the runoff to Nicușor Dan.