George Simion’s victory in the first round of the Romanian presidential election will have potentially profound consequences for the EU and Ireland if he carries his momentum through to the second round on May 18th.
Simion is a Eurosceptic far-right nationalist politician who has vowed to block military aid to Ukraine. His election would come at a time when the focus across much of the rest of the EU has been on closer integration following Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Over the past few months, senior EU leaders have been unanimous about improving EU competitiveness and securing economic independence . It was a theme that Christine Lagarde, president of the ECB, warmed to in a recent speech in Dublin. She said this crisis had to be ‘Europe’s moment’ and the Commission must focus with greater intensity on plans for a single capital market and implementing the Draghi Report.
Mario Draghi, a former president of the ECB, published a roadmap to competitiveness last September, which initially received a tepid response from EU member states, but is gradually gaining support.
In pictures: Nicola Coughlan and Maura Higgins stand out on TV Baftas 2025 red carpet
Spring/summer 2025 fashion trends can be achieved using your existing wardrobe. Here’s how
‘Am I too old to wear this?’: It’s a question I never thought I’d ask but here I am
I tried an ancient cure for procrastination for a month. It was grim
But, she added, the EU was stymied by the single veto, which has too often derailed crucial reforms. Lagarde did not mention Hungary by name, but it was an obvious reference to one of the EU’s most recalcitrant members.
In this context, she floated a major policy shift. “ In this inverted world, more qualified majority voting would therefore be inherently more democratic.” She said the EU had to move to QMV, whereby a majority of member states can vote through key policy decisions, if it is ever to achieve the sum of its parts. If Simion prevails in the second round of the Romanian election, it will increase pressure to move to QMV.
The move to QMV would pose enormous challenges for Ireland.
The national veto has been the single most effective weapon in preserving the corporate tax regime from moves towards EU fiscal harmonisation, particularly a common consolidated corporate tax base. EU tax harmonisation would greatly undermine Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for foreign direct investment.
Irish influence at an EU level has never been more important, yet over the past number of years there has been a steady decline in Irish nationals holding key EU positions. That is why Paschal Donohoe’s attempts to secure a third term as President of the Eurogroup of Finance Ministers have assumed increasing importance.
The Government must rise to the challenges ahead. The focus naturally has been on the chaos created by the Trump presidency but there are moves closer to home that could be just as consequential.
