Centrist, pro-EU Nicusor Dan wins Romania's presidential run-off

Muscat Daily

19-05-2025

Bucharest, Romania – Romania's centrist Nicusor Dan, the mayor of Bucharest, has won Sunday's presidential election run-off.
Near complete results showed Dan winning 54%, while his opponent, the hard-right Donald Trump admirer George Simion won 46%.
Dan, an independent who favours closer ties with Europe, had campaigned for an 'honest' Romania.
Dan said he hopes to form a coalition government that will include all four centrist, pro-European parties in parliament.
In remarks to Romanian TV channel Digi24, Dan said he expects coalition formation talks with the Social Democratic Party (PSD), National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) to last a few weeks.
He told Digi24 that he will reach out to the four parliamentary groups for talks as early as Monday.
After a tense vote count on Sunday night, Dan, an independent who is a staunch supporter of the European Union and NATO, defeated the far-right George Simion, who had prevailed in the first round held on May 4.
Dan also addressed Simion's supporters, inviting them 'to build a good Romania'.
The independent candidate, who campaigned on a slogan of change and has vowed to 'rebuild' the country, also sympathised with Simion's supporters' frustrations, saying they would remain dissatisfied 'until the state works for its citizens'.
'A fundamental change is needed in the way political parties function,' Dan said.
Simion concedes defeat
Meanwhile, Simion has conceded defeat to Dan.
'I would like to congratulate my opponent, Nicusor Dan,' Simion said in a video published on Facebook.
'He won the election and that was the will of the Romanian people.'
He promised to 'continue our fight' for Romania and to put its 19mn people 'first'.
Simion had previously contested exit polls that showed that Dan had won the election, claiming that he had secured 400,000 more votes than his centrist rival.
Simion, who leads the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians party, has criticised what he described as the EU's 'absurd policies' and proposed cutting military aid for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy congratulates Dan
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated Nicusor Dan on his 'historic victory' in Romania's presidential election.
'For Ukraine – as a neighbour and friend – it is important to have Romania as a reliable partner,' Zelenskyy posted on X. 'And we are confident we will. By working together, we can strengthen both our countries and our Europe.'
Dan, 55, is staunchly in favour of Romania's membership in the European Union and NATO, saying Bucharest's support for Kyiv is vital for its own security against a growing Russian threat.
'We will always have great respect for Romania and its people, especially given the support we received during the most difficult period in our history,' Zelenskyy wrote on X. 'Dear Romanians, you can count on Ukraine as a good neighbour and partner. We can overcome any challenge if we are united and strong. I look forward to further developing the strategic partnership between our friendly nations for the sake of their stability, security, and prosperity.'
DW