Romania’s presidential race ended with Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan claiming victory in Sunday’s decisive second round, narrowly edging out nationalist challenger George Simion. With over 99% of ballots tallied, Dan pulled in 54% of the vote, defeating Simion’s 46%, according to official figures.
Calling it a historic turnout, Dan took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank his supporters for their energy and determination. “Tomorrow, we begin rebuilding Romania—a country united by law, integrity, and respect,” he declared.
Simion, leader of the right-wing Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), initially refused to concede, even proclaiming himself “the new president” on social media. However, by Monday morning, the firebrand nationalist acknowledged Dan’s win. “The people have spoken. Though the taste of defeat is bitter, this isn’t the end,” Simion said in a video message. “We’ve lost this round, not the entire fight.”
Dan’s win received swift praise from Moldova’s pro-EU president Maia Sandu, who emphasized the shared vision between the two nations. “Moldova and Romania walk together—united in our push for peace, democracy, and a European future,” she said.
Simion and his party have accused Moldovan authorities of meddling in the election by mobilizing support for Dan among Moldovans with Romanian citizenship—an allegation Chisinau denies.
This election redo was no ordinary contest. Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled last November’s results after citing campaign irregularities and intelligence warnings of alleged Russian interference, which the Kremlin has dismissed as baseless. That vote saw independent conservative Călin Georgescu emerge in the lead before being disqualified. Simion decried the court’s ruling as nothing short of a “coup,” pledging to name Georgescu prime minister had he won.
Simion performed strongly in the first round on May 4, collecting 41% of the vote. Dan and former Senator Crin Antonescu each hovered around the 20% mark, setting up a dramatic head-to-head rematch between pro-EU centrism and Romanian-first nationalism.
Despite the loss, Simion made it clear he isn’t going anywhere. The populist wave he represents still commands a large and energized base, and his camp is gearing up for the next political fight, determined to take back what they believe was stripped from them.
