Romanian voters, who went to the polls in much greater numbers yesterday, Sunday, elected the centrist mayor of Bucharest as the new head of state in the second round of the presidential election, defying the predictions of many and favoring the continuation of the country's European path and support for Ukraine instead of a turn to the far right.
Although not many people were betting on him two weeks ago, Nikusor Dan, 55, received almost 54% of the vote, according to the almost final results of the count, a result that caused jubilation at his campaign headquarters.
He himself saw "a victory of thousands of citizens who believed that Romania could change in the right direction," as he emphasized to his supporters, against a backdrop of slogans and songs praising Europe or mocking Russia.
Addressing those who voted for him, he called on them to "get to work" and build a "united Romania."
The elections were closely watched by the international community. After the result became clear, congratulatory messages began to arrive. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the Romanians' choice for a "strong Europe." So did French President Emmanuel Macron, who stressed that "democracy" had prevailed despite "numerous attempts at manipulation."
In neighboring Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky expressed satisfaction with the "historic" success, emphasizing the "importance of Romania being a reliable partner" for his country.
Five months after the very rare and spectacular cancellation of the elections, due to suspicions of Russian interference, hopes are being expressed in Bucharest that this stormy chapter will be closed.
But the division is deep.
After initially refusing to accept his defeat, despite the ballot's verdict (he received 46%), denouncing fraud, nationalist Jorge Simeone ultimately congratulated his opponent, promising to "continue the fight."
The passionate Donald Trump supporter, 38, won the first round on May 4, garnering almost 41% of the vote, double that of the Bucharest mayor, riding a wave of anger against the "thieving politicians" in power since 1999 and the economic difficulties in the country, one of the poorest in the EU.
The critic of Brussels' "irrational" policies, however, apparently paid dearly for the faux pas between the two rounds, from the "aggressiveness" he displayed to his absence from televised debates, as well as the "almost unprecedented mobilization" of those who wanted to "defend democracy," analyst Sergiu Miscoiu commented to AFP.
The turnout in the second round approached 65%, compared to 53% in the first round, according to the electoral committee.
"Never before have elections been held that were so decisive" for the country's future, with "such obvious geopolitical consequences," the expert added.
The current president of Romania makes appointments to key positions, participates in EU and NATO summits, and makes decisions on foreign and security policy.
A loyal member of the EU, the country of 19 million inhabitants has been characterized as a crucial pillar of NATO since the start of Russia's attack in February 2022.
Nikusor Dan, a mathematician who studied in France before becoming an anti-corruption activist, is a staunch European and supporter of Kiev.
Gheorghe Simeon, for his part, said he would end support for Ukraine, demand "compensation" for the aid offered so far by Bucharest to Kiev, and declared himself a supporter of "neutrality, not escalation through the shipment of weapons," while defending himself for being described as a "friend of Vladimir Putin," the Russian president.
He appeared again yesterday with Calin Georgescu.
The latter had caused a sensation by taking first place on November 24th in the first round of the presidential elections, after a campaign mainly via TikTok, with a Moscow flavor for many.
But the former public official now faces prosecution for irregularities in his campaign financing and was barred from the repeat vote — which sparked protests, sometimes violent.
"Calin Georgescu, president!" shouted a small crowd that had gone to welcome their fallen hero.
Leaving polling stations, many expressed hope that the “nightmare” would end. “There is such chaos in Romania” after the election was canceled, said a 55-year-old woman who works for a company that organizes seminars. “There has never been a situation like this before, probably even on a European scale,” she said.
Source: protothema.gr
