In the runoff of the Romanian presidential election, pro-European candidate Nicușor Dan emerged victorious.
In the presidential runoff held on the 18th (local time), candidate Dan, the mayor of the capital Bucharest, recorded a voter turnout of 54.17%, defeating the far-right leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), George Simion. Simion received 45.83%, according to the Romanian National Election Commission (AEP).
An exit poll conducted by the Avant-Garde Social Research Institute on the same day indicated that candidate Dan received 54.9%, while candidate Simion garnered 45.1% support.
This runoff was held because no candidate achieved a majority in the first round of voting on May 4th. At that time, Simion received 40.96% of the votes, while Dan recorded 20.99%. The presidential election was originally scheduled for 2024, but it was invalidated due to poor election management and allegations of external interference, leading to a re-election.
The voter turnout for the runoff was 53.21%, significantly higher than the first round. Of the total 11.64 million eligible voters, 9.57 million actually participated in the election, including approximately 1.6 million overseas voters.
Candidate Dan, whose victory is all but certain, stated after the exit poll announcement, "This election is not just the concern of politicians but that of the people," and emphasized that "we must achieve the profound changes that Romanian society desires." He stressed that "government institutions must function properly, prevent corruption, and move towards a society of dialogue rather than one of hatred and animosity."
Candidate Nicușor Dan has pledged to strengthen relations with the European Union (EU) and the West, reform the rule of law, and continue diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. In contrast, Simion has championed "Romanian First" policies, advocating for easing EU regulations, tax cuts, and halting support for Ukraine, earning him the nickname "Trumpist."
According to the Romanian constitution, the president holds the lead in foreign and defense policy and has the authority to appoint the prime minister. However, it appears that the elected candidate will start advisory meetings to form the next government next week.
The runoff began at 7 a.m. local time and concluded at 9 p.m.