The New Strategy Center has published an analysis dedicated to Romania’s presidential elections, whose second round took place on May 18.
Centrist independent candidate Nicușor Dan won Romania’s presidential elections with 53.60% of the vote, defeating far-right opponent George Simion, who obtained 46.40%. Although Simion led by nearly 2 million votes in the first round, Dan managed to reverse the outcome by mobilizing strong support, primarily in urban areas, in regions with a majority Hungarian population, and among undecided, pro-European voters. In contrast, Simion enjoyed consistent backing from the diaspora, predominantly in rural areas and small towns, especially in the eastern and southern regions of Romania. Although he secured 55.86% of the votes cast abroad, this advantage was not sufficient to win the presidency.
Simion’s campaign was marked by populist rhetoric and aggressive attacks against the European Union, Ukraine, and France. He pledged to appoint Călin Georgescu—a figure associated with pro-Russian positions—as prime minister, and consistently echoed themes specific to the MAGA movement, aligning himself obediently with Donald Trump, but without clarifying how he would actually develop the relationship with the United States. His inflammatory statements, accusations of foreign interference, and threats of protests amid claims of electoral fraud fueled fears of potential destabilization.
Meanwhile, Nicușor Dan avoided alliances with traditional parties, opting instead for a campaign focused on transparency, democratic values, and reaffirming Romania’s commitment to the EU and NATO. He is expected to appoint Ilie Bolojan, the current interim president of Romania, as prime minister and to form a broad pro-European coalition to address economic challenges, a record budget deficit, and regional security risks. His victory strengthens Romania’s pro-Western orientation at a critical time for domestic stability and European unity.
The analysis was conducted by George Scutaru, Director General of the New Strategy Center and former presidential advisor for national security.