Nicusor Dan officially becomes Romania’s president on Monday at a critical time for the nation which is battling the European Union’s biggest budget deficit and a loss of faith in mainstream politics.
Having defied the odds to defeat hard-right nationalist George Simion in the May 18 runoff, the independent Bucharest mayor will start work on forming a new government with talks among the pro-European political parties in Romania’s parliament, a task that will take several weeks.
The former mathematician has said he’ll work with the pro-European parties, although the Social Democratic Party (PSD) hasn’t decided whether it will be part of that, but is expected to confirm its position on Monday. Dan wants to make respected interim President Ilie Bolojan the new prime minister, with a priority of slashing the budget deficit by almost two percent to 7.5 percent of GDP.
Romania, which borders Ukraine and the Black Sea has a massive NATO presence and will soon have the Alliance’s largest European base, and has been a vital partner for Western interests in the region.
Dan, 55, is expected to play an active role in EU affairs including negotiating the bloc’s seven-year budget. Unlike the nationalist opposition, he strongly backs continuing aid to Ukraine and strengthening the EU’s own defense capabilities.
Dan will officially be sworn in as Romania’s new president on Monday at noon during a joint session of Parliament at the giant Palace of Parliament.
Following the ceremony, the news president will head to the presidential Cotroceni Palace, where he will be received by outgoing president Ilie Bolojan. A formal handover ceremony will take place outdoors, after which the two leaders will hold a private discussion inside the palace. Bolojan will then officially leave Cotroceni, marking the end of his term.
Dan won the election with 53.6% of the votes to Simion’s 46.4%.
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