(ANSA-AFP) - BUCHAREST, 18 MAG - Romanians began voting Sunday in a tense presidential election rerun, a tight race between a nationalist and a centrist that could reshape the direction of the pro-Brussels country bordering war-torn Ukraine. If George Simion, a fan of US President Donald Trump, wins the rerun -- held after last year's vote was annulled over allegations of election interference -- he would become the key NATO country's first far-right president. That would thrust Romania into a growing group of EU members with nationalist leaders critical of Brussels and keen to cut military aid to Ukraine. Polls opened at 7:00 am (0400 GMT) and will close at 9:00 pm, with exit polls to be published shortly afterwards and results expected to come in overnight. Pledging to put "Romania first" and "restore the dignity of the Romanian people", Simion has capitalised on voters' frustrations with politicians deemed corrupt who have ruled one of the EU's poorest members since the end of Communism 35 years ago. The far-right leader comfortably topped the May 4 first round, gaining close to 41 percent. He faces pro-EU Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan in what analysts predict will be a very close race. "Romanians should go to the polls with confidence; this time, their will and their vote will not be stolen," Simion declared on a private TV channel this week, despite repeatedly alleging a risk of "massive fraud". Dan, an independent, has also campaigned on a platform of change, promising a Romania that is "honest" but that continues on its pro-EU path. - 'Hatred and division' - Daniela Plesa, 62, a public employee, told AFP in Bucharest on Friday she wanted a president "to promote the interests of the country", complaining that "the European Union demands and demands". Andreea Nicolescu, 30, working in advertising, said she wished for "things to calm down a bit" and "a pro-European president". Polls suggest Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician, has managed to narrow the lead of Simion in the country of 19 million people. Calling on people to vote, he is hoping for a higher turnout than the 53 percent who turned out for the first round. "How did we end up with so much hatred and so much division? ... We need to rebuild this country, we need to project hope," Dan told supporters last weekend. Dan is widely perceived as having a reserved personality. "Paradoxically this might be an asset for him now," political analyst Sorin Cucerai told AFP. "In a very noisy period, a little bit of calm makes a difference, especially against Simion who is very violent." But Simion, 38, remains the favourite for the post, which has significant sway in foreign policy, including holding veto power at EU summits. - Controversial annulment - A football hooligan in his youth, Simion has slammed the EU's "absurd policies" and has pledged to cut aid to Kyiv. Simion is banned from entering Ukraine and Moldova after he has called for territories in both countries to be returned to Romania. Rallies of tens of thousands have demanded the country maintain its pro-EU stance. Other protests, also drawing tens of thousands, have condemned the decision to annul last year's vote and the subsequent barring of far-right candidate Calin Georgescu. Top US officials have also criticised scrapping the ballot. Romania's constitutional court cancelled the elections following allegations of Russian meddling -- which Moscow denies -- and a massive social media promotion of frontrunner Georgescu. On Saturday, Simion took both his TikTok and Facebook accounts offline to "respect the day of silence". - High stakes - Last week's surprise resignation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the collapse of his pro-European government coalition -- after their candidate failed to make the runoff -- have further raised the stakes and heightened emotions. The new president will have the power to appoint a new prime minister, and Simion's nationalist AUR party could enter government after negotiations for a new parliamentary majority. Besides polarising society, the election turmoil has increased economic uncertainty in the EU's most indebted country, which has grappled with high inflation. "We are already in a big hole and we won't be able to get out of this hole for a few years," pensioner Mircea Cirstea, 61, told AFP in Bucharest. ani-pc-anb-jza/jj/fec/mtp / (ANSA-AFP).