Nicusor Dan, the centrist and pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has won Romania’s presidential runoff with 54% of the vote, defeating the far-right nationalist George Simion, who received 46%.
Dan campaigned on fighting corruption, supporting Ukraine amid its war with Russia, and maintaining Romania’s close ties with the EU and NATO. Simion, who had initially declared victory but later conceded, had campaigned on a platform inspired by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s populist rhetoric, euroscepticism, and promised to end military aid to Ukraine. The final round saw a record turnout of around 64-65%, the highest in 25 years, and marked a significant turnaround for Dan after trailing Simion in the first round held two weeks prior.
Dan faces challenges ahead, including forming a coalition government, addressing Romania’s significant budget deficit, the largest in the EU, and maintaining political stability amid societal tensions.
The election followed the annulment of a previous vote over allegations of Russian interference favoring far-right candidate Calin Georgescu, who was barred from running again. Simion had allied with Georgescu, promising to appoint him prime minister.
