Romania’s presidential election, held on May 18th, ended with an unexpected win for liberal candidate Nicusor Dan. Initially, hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) leader George Simion led in the first round with 41% of the vote, but Dan pulled off a surprising comeback to claim victory.
The election outcome is significant as it reaffirms Romania’s commitment to the mainstream of the European Union. In contrast, Simion’s win would have added another populist leader to the bloc, potentially fracturing it.
This development comes at a time when democratic politics are dominated by battles between liberal and nationalist forces. The result shows that even in a polarized environment, moderate voices can prevail.
Source: https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/05/18/romanias-next-president-will-not-be-a-maga-populist-after-all