US EditionCrucial Elections in Poland and Romania: A Populist Backlash in Eastern Europe?
- Nicușor Dan won the Romanian presidential election on May 18, 2025, defeating nationalist rival George Simion with nearly 54% of the vote.
- The election followed an annulled original vote amid allegations of Russian interference and intense competition framed as a choice between European values and right-wing sovereigntism.
- Dan, the pro-European mayor of Bucharest, improved his standing following a televised debate with Simion and achieved high voter turnout, notably receiving strong backing from Moldovan voters who favor closer ties with Europe.
- Dan won about 6.17 million votes to Simion's 5.3 million, while Simion challenged results with claims of election fraud and foreign interference but eventually conceded defeat.
- Dan's victory signals a re-strengthening of the Europeanist center in Romania, but he faces challenges such as fiscal deficits and societal division amid calls for reforms and continued EU alignment.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Crucial elections in Poland and Romania: A populist backlash in Eastern Europe?
Many EU leaders were undoubtedly relieved when the result of the Romanian presidential election was announced on the night of May 18. Nicusor Dan, who had campaigned on a platform of pro-Western stability, defeated the firebrand populist and Eurosceptic George Simion. Indeed, Dan achieved a stunning reversal, after heavily losing the first round. But Simion still won more than five million votes, or around 46 percent, which highlighted a deep fr…
Romania resists far-right wave, becomes pro-EU stronghold
Romania defied the European far-right momentum with a historic pro-EU vote, preferring Bucharest mayor and math prodigy Nicușor Dan as president to the populist and pro-Trump George Simion. We explore what fueled the upset — and what’s next.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulated him, Joi, on the election of Romania's president, Nicushor Dan, for his Sunday victory, May 18th. Article Benjamin Netanyahu sent his congratulations to Nicushor Dan. This was the first time the president of the election appeared in Romania TV.
The Constitutional validates the victory of Nicusor Dan despite the accusations of the ultra-nationalist Simion against France, Moldova, Poland and SpainAnalysis - Keys of the elections in Romania: how and why he lost the ultra-nationalist candidate after razing in the first round The Constitutional Court of Romania declared this Thursday Europeanist Nicusor Dan president-elect, after unanimously rejecting the challenge presented by ultra-nation…
It is the most appropriate time to discuss Romania 5.0 - after Sunday, in the vote, the Romanians avoided the retrograde of our country to version 1.0. They chose the future, not the past.
The right-wing populist Simion, who was inferior to the vote, had tabled an application for election nomination. Winner Nicușor Dan was praised as the new president in parliament on Monday.
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Bias Distribution
- 33% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
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