In a setback for Europe’s surging nationalist forces, Nicusor Dan, a centrist mayor and former mathematics professor, on Sunday won the presidential election in Romania, defeating a hard-Right candidate who is aligned with President Trump and has opposed military aid to Ukraine.
With more than 98 per cent of ballots counted, preliminary official results gave 54 per cent of the vote in the presidential runoff to Dan, 55, the mayor of Romania’s capital, Bucharest.
His opponent, George Simion, a nationalist and fervent admirer of Trump who had been widely seen as the front-runner, drew only 46 per cent.
As he slipped behind Dan in early counting, Simion told supporters that “we are the clear winners of these elections.”
He called for national protests should the final count show him as the loser, railing against what he said was an attempt “to steal the victory of the Romanian people.”
Dan’s victory will likely calm fears in Europe that Romania, which plays a vital role in defending Nato’s eastern flank against Russia, might join Hungary in opposing help for Ukraine.
New York Times News Service
