Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, an outspoken supporter of the EU and NATO, has won the Romanian presidential election after an intense and polarized campaign. With just over 54 percent of the vote, he defeated his national conservative challenger George Simion.
The re-election was held after Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the original election last fall. The independent candidate Calin Georgescu initially led by a large margin, but the election was later declared invalid due to alleged Russian interference, accusations that have not yet been proven.
The ensuing political crisis has been described as the deepest in Romania in decades. George Simion (AUR), who has spoken out against further military support for Ukraine and suggested appointing Georgescu as prime minister, won the first round of the re-election with a clear lead.
Nicusor Dan, an independent centrist liberal with a strong EU profile and advocate for NATO, has received support from, among others, Moldovan President Maia Sandu and a majority of pro-EU leaders.
According to preliminary official results, Nicusor Dan has won with approximately 54 percent of the vote. George Simion congratulated his opponent and commented that the election “reflects the will of the Romanian people”, even though he had previously questioned the election process.
Nicusor Dan thanked his supporters for their “outstanding mobilization” and promised to work for a “united and honest Romania” with respect for the law and citizens’ rights.
Mulțumesc!
Ne vedem în câteva minute la Cișmigiu! pic.twitter.com/uxwfTzYPmN— Nicușor Dan (@NicusorDanRO) May 18, 2025
Allegations of interference from both East and West
Allegations of an illegitimate election process and influence campaigns from both the West and the East have characterized the election campaign, contributing to a sense of mistrust and uncertainty among voters.
George Simion has also accused Moldovan authorities and media of conducting an illegal campaign to favor Dan among voters with dual Moldovan and Romanian citizenship, something Moldova has denied. At the same time, Romania’s security services have warned of Russian influence, particularly in connection with the disqualified candidate Georgescu, allegations that Moscow has rejected.
A Western European government (guess which ) approached Telegram asking us to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections. I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 18, 2025
Completely unfounded allegations are circulating on Telegram and Twitter regarding alleged French interference in the Romanian presidential election.
France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian… pic.twitter.com/PxFO7KnzDm
— France Diplomacy (@francediplo_EN) May 18, 2025
Telegram founder Pavel Durov also recently claimed that France had attempted to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of the re-election by pressuring the platform to block political channels. Durov stated that they had refused and called the attempt a threat to freedom of speech.