Overview

• Nicușor Dan, a pro-European centrist and mayor of Bucharest, defeated ultranationalist George Simion in Romania's presidential runoff election.
• Dan secured 54.3% of the vote, compared to Simion's 45.6%, with a record voter turnout of 64.7%, the highest in two decades.
• The runoff followed the annulment of the November 2024 election due to suspected Russian interference, which initially favored pro-Russia candidate Călin Georgescu.
• Simion, leader of the eurosceptic AUR party, contested the results, claiming fraud and declaring himself the winner despite official tallies favoring Dan.
• The election outcome reinforces Romania's alignment with the EU and NATO, countering a recent wave of nationalist populism in Europe.