Overview

• Nicusor Dan, a pro-European independent and anti-corruption advocate, is projected to defeat ultranationalist George Simion in Romania's presidential runoff.
• Exit polls indicate Dan secured 54% of the vote, with Simion trailing at 45%; voter turnout reached 64.7%, a significant increase from the first round.
• Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, has rejected the projections, claiming his own counts show a 400,000-vote lead and declaring himself the winner.
• The election follows the annulment of November’s vote over alleged Russian interference, with heightened scrutiny on electoral integrity this time around.
• The presidency holds key powers in foreign policy and defense, making the outcome critical for Romania's alignment with NATO, the EU, and its support for Ukraine.