Overview

• Nicusor Dan, the liberal-conservative and pro-European candidate, won the Romanian presidential runoff with approximately 54% of the vote against ultranationalist George Simion's 46%.
• Simion initially alleged election fraud but later conceded defeat, congratulating Dan in a video statement.
• The election was widely regarded as a referendum on Romania's geopolitical direction, with Dan advocating EU and NATO integration and Simion favoring a nationalist, pro-Russia stance.
• European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed Dan's victory as a commitment to democratic and pro-European values.
• A record turnout among Romania's diaspora played a critical role in the outcome, highlighting their significant influence in close electoral contests.