Overview

• Nicusor Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, won Romania's presidential runoff on May 18, defeating far-right candidate George Simion.
• Simion led the first round of voting with 41% compared to Dan's 21%, but lost momentum due to a divisive campaign and refusal to debate.
• Dan’s victory was bolstered by a coalition of traditional parties like the PNL and civil society groups mobilizing against extremism.
• Simion conceded defeat on election night, despite earlier unsubstantiated claims of fraud and foreign interference by his camp.
• The election outcome reaffirms Romania's Europhile trajectory following a period of political turbulence and scrutiny over election integrity.