Romania has elected a new president after a very tense and controversial election.
Nicușor Dan, the liberal mayor of Bucharest who supports closer ties with Europe, won the election against far-right candidate George Simion. Dan received 53.6% of the vote.
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The final results came in late Sunday night. Supporters celebrated outside Bucharest City Hall as Dan gave a speech calling for unity. “Let’s build Romania together, no matter who you voted for,” he said.
About 11.5 million people voted in this second round. Simion did well with Romanians living abroad, especially in Spain, Italy, and Germany. But Dan had strong support within Romania, especially in Moldova, where 87% of voters chose him.
This election followed a cancelled vote last year. That vote was thrown out due to claims of Russian interference and cheating, after a little-known candidate, Călin Georgescu, surprisingly led the polls. His removal made many nationalist voters angry and helped boost Simion’s popularity.
Simion first refused to accept the result, claiming he won. But he admitted defeat early Monday in a Facebook post, and his planned protest was cancelled.
Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, had campaigned against the European Union and wanted to stop Romania’s support for Ukraine. Dan, on the other hand, promised to fight corruption and stay close to Western allies.
During Dan’s victory celebration, his supporters shouted, “Russia, don’t forget, Romania isn’t yours!” — showing strong feelings against Russian influence in the region.
Leaders from Moldova, Ukraine, and the European Union quickly congratulated Dan, saying his win showed Romania’s commitment to democracy.
Even though Simion lost, his strong showing in the first round and support from many frustrated voters show that his nationalist ideas still appeal to a large number of people.
Now, Nicușor Dan must work to unite a deeply divided country and bring back faith in its democracy. His win comes after the collapse of Romania’s previous government, showing how unstable the country’s politics have become.
Still, many see Dan’s victory as a hopeful step towards a stronger, more democratic Romania. “A community of Romanians who want real change has won,” he said in his victory speech.