The pro-European mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan has defeated a MAGA-style nationalist who opposes military aid to Ukraine in the tightly contested presidential runoff, near final results show.
Dan over 54% of the vote to George Simion’s 45%. With about 98% of votes counted, there was no way that Simion could make up the difference.
“We are living a moment of hope. I ask you to be patient with what happens next,” Dan, a former mathematician and civic activist, said after the exit polls closed. “A community of Romanians which want deep change in Romania won today. They want the state institutions to work, a reduction in corruption and a prosperous economic climate, a community that wants dialogue, not hatred.”
Thousands gathered outside his party headquarters in Bucharest to cheer his victory. “Let’s keep believing in Romania and tomorrow, let’s get to work,” he told jubilant supporters.
Simion who was critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with the Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.
The 55-year-old Dan’s victory was helped by high turnout of more than 64% before polls closed.
The two-round election was a redo of November’s election which was cancelled over allegations of Russian and other malign foreign interference.
The election was watched closely in European capitals, Washington, Kyiv and Moscow. After exit polls were released, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova responded to Romanian foreign ministry allegations of Russian interference. “First of all, please don’t call them elections,” TASS reported.
Romania is an important transit route for weapon systems to Ukraine. Ukraine exports 70% of its grain down the Black Sea coast, through Romanian territorial waters, towards Istanbul. The Romanian air force trains Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s.
The country has a US missile defense shield at Deveselu, and three major airbases from which NATO flies air policing missions up to the border of Ukraine and Moldova, and out over the Black Sea.
Analysts have say a Simion win would risk isolating Romania abroad, erode private investment and destabilize NATO’s eastern flank by adding another disruptor alongside Hungary and Slovakia.
Simion tapped into widespread public anger over the vote cancellation after taking over from far-right contender Călin Georgescu, who topped voting in the cancelled
ballot but is now barred from running and under criminal investigation.
Simion promised to appoint Georgescu as prime minister. Georgescu has said he planned to nationalize companies, stirring unease among investors.
