Romania: The mobilisation against the far-right has ultimately been successful. Dan will be the president

Monday, May 19, 2025

Denik Referendum

Nicușor Dan defeats George Simion in Romanian presidential runoff, marking a political comeback and signaling change.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Nicușor Dan, the liberal candidate, won the Romanian presidential election against George Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, despite Simion being the clear favorite after the first round. The second round saw a record voter turnout, with Nicușor Dan ultimately defeating Simion by 830,000 votes. Analysts attribute this outcome to several factors: Dan’s independent campaign focusing on anti-corruption while avoiding major political scandals; Simion’s poor media engagement and subsequent departure from the country during the second round; and successful mobilization of various groups, including younger voters, urban dwellers, and a segment of the Romanian diaspora. The election is viewed as significant for Europe because Simion advocated for policies aligning with Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump, specifically aiming to reduce support for Ukraine, while Dan emphasized the need for institutional reform and combating corruption in Romania.

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Previous page Poll suggests that the high voter turnout in the Romanian presidential election may have benefited one of George Simion's opponents
Next page The Romanian political landscape is a coin toss, reflecting the contrasting "two Romanias," with a slight rise in support for the pro-European politician Dan

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