Mathematician v ex-football hooligan: Centrist defeats far-right firebrand in Romania election

London: Pro-European centrist Nicușor Dan will become Romania’s next president after defeating far-right nationalist George Simion in a fiercely contested run-off election.

The vote exposed deep divisions across the country and has drawn international concern over its democratic trajectory. With 97 per cent of votes counted by late Sunday (early Monday AEST), Dan held 54 per cent of the national tally, maintaining a lead of more than 900,000 votes over Simion, who had secured 45 per cent.

Romanian presidential candidate Nicusor Dan (centre) and supporters after the first exit poll results on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images

With fewer than half a million ballots remaining, the result appeared irreversible. More than 11 million Romanians cast their votes in the tense second-round run-off – a rerun of the annulled December 2024 presidential election – with turnout reaching 64 per cent.

Crowds in central Bucharest were reportedly chanting: “Russia, Russia, don’t forget, Romania isn’t yours!” after the result.

Dan, 55, an independent candidate and current mayor of Bucharest, framed the vote as a battle for Romania’s democratic future.

“This election was not about politicians. It was about a choice for a united future, not a divided one,” he told supporters in a short speech on Sunday night. “A Romania that wants change has won today.”

The run-off followed a turbulent electoral period marked by the annulment of last year’s vote, after intelligence agencies disclosed evidence of Russian-backed interference through social media platforms – particularly TikTok – aimed at promoting Simion’s political ally Călin Georgescu.

That revelation plunged Romania into political crisis, prompting the collapse of the centre-right government, widespread public protests and market instability.

Simion, 38, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), ran a combative campaign grounded in nationalism, anti-elite rhetoric and Euroscepticism. A former football hooligan turned politician, he accused the mainstream political class of betraying Romanian sovereignty and promised to “restore dignity” to the country.

Simion appeared to gain momentum in the first round of voting earlier this year, capturing more than double Dan’s support. But that advantage faded amid a co-ordinated mobilisation effort by diaspora voters, urban residents and younger demographics, many of whom feared a tilt away from the European Union and NATO.

Presidential candidate George Simion on Sunday.Credit: AP

The diaspora played a crucial role, with more than 1.6 million votes cast abroad – a historic high – many from countries such as Germany, Italy and the Republic of Moldova. Although Simion had performed well with diaspora voters in the first round, preliminary reports suggested Dan recovered significant ground in major overseas precincts.

Tensions ran high throughout election day. Simion and Georgescu were escorted from a polling station outside Bucharest after attempting to address the media inside the voting precinct, in violation of electoral law.

Separately, the Romanian foreign ministry condemned the spread of a viral fake video claiming French troops disguised in Romanian military uniforms were deployed near the border. France dismissed the clip as “a co-ordinated disinformation attempt designed to undermine confidence in Romania’s democratic process”.

Simion has continued to cast doubt on the integrity of the election, despite a lack of evidence. His supporters have circulated calls for street demonstrations in the event of defeat, with references made to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan uprising – prompting concerns of potential unrest in the days ahead.

A woman exits a voting booth in Bucharest on Sunday.Credit: AP

“We are at a geopolitical crossroads,” former Romanian president and NATO ally Traian Băsescu said after casting his vote. “This election was about more than two candidates. It was about whether Romania stays anchored in the West or turns towards a more authoritarian path.”

Dan, a former mathematician and anti-corruption activist, campaigned on a platform of transparency, democratic reform and closer alignment with the European Union. He has pledged to secure Romania’s access to EU development funds, strengthen judicial independence, and maintain a strong commitment to NATO at a time of growing regional instability.

The official results are expected in the coming days, but Dan’s projected win marks a significant reversal of fortunes after Simion’s dominant first-round showing. It will also be seen in Brussels and Washington as a reaffirmation of Romania’s commitment to democratic values, in a region where nationalist and populist forces have been on the rise.

Dan’s victory signals a pause – if not a halt – to the surge of far-right populism on the EU’s eastern frontier.

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