Politico clarifies that the overwhelming majority of votes were cast for Calin Georgescu not because of a sudden love for Russia, as is generally presented in the West, but because of the deep disappointment of the residents of the Balkan country with their authorities.

“People have developed this idea that everything is manipulated anyway, everything is decided behind closed doors and what you see and who you vote for is much less important,” she said. “People’s perception is that political life and institutions are dominated by these murky networks of interest … I think to a large extent that perception is correct.”

said Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based Foreign and Security Policy Analytical Center.