Underdog Nicusor Dan becomes the new President of Romania – Diepresse.com

The party mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan, who had moved to the presidential race as an underdog, becomes Romania’s new head of state. After counting the votes in just under 99 percent of the polling stations, he was unexpectedly ahead of right -wing populist George Simion, as was the result of the election authority in Bucharest. The pro -European and Liberal Conservative is around 54.1 percent, Simion is around 45.9 percent.

The turnout in the runoff election was 65 percent higher than in the first round two weeks ago when it was 53 percent. The Romanian political scientist Sergiu Miscoiu described the high participation as « almost unprecedented and shaped by an upswing from the democracy reports ». « A choice has never been so crucial, with such obvious geopolitical effects, » he told the AFP news agency.

According to Romanian demoscopes, Dans election victory can no longer be tilted with the remaining voices of the abroad. « We live in a time of hope. But please be patient for the coming time. It will be a difficult time that is necessary to bring the economy, this economy to balance in order to create the basics for a healthy society. Please be patient for this, » said Dan on the election evening.

Cheers on the streets of Bucharest

In front of dan’s bucharest election campaign seat, thousands of Romanians gathered on Sunday evening, who cheered him out. The election winner himself stepped in front of the people with two flags – first he waved the flag of the European Union and only then the Romanian. In a first reaction after the two exit polls were announced, the non -party liberal conservative politician had promised to go to the pro -European parties in view of the severe political crisis on Monday in order to enable majority finding as quickly as possible.

In the election campaign, Nicusor Dan had emphasized several times to wish the liberal reform politician and current interim president Ilie Bolojan as the future head of government. The Romanian citizens in general and the supporters of his right -wing populist opponent George Simion in particular promised to « want to rebuild not two but a single Romania ». The result of this runoff election clearly demonstrates that the citizens want a deep change – a better functioning state, a flourishing entrepreneurship, a more dedicated combination of corruption and, last but not least, a society based on dialogue is not based, said Dan.

Ultra -right Simion admits defeat

The inferior right populist Simion initially avoided granting his election defeat. In a first reaction after the publication of exit Polls, which saw him lying behind Dan by almost ten percentage points, the 38-year-old had nevertheless claimed to be the « over-clear election winner » who claimed his victory « in the name of the people ». Later he admitted the victory: « I want to congratulate my opponent, Nicusor Dan, » said Simion on Monday night in a video published in the online network. « He won the election and that was the will of the Romanian people. »

Directional choice

The outcome of the election is of great importance for the future of the EU and NATO member Romania and the relationships within Europe. The Romanian president has the authority to fill important items and to take part in the EU and NATO summit.

Romania has been in a political crisis for months. In November, the previously largely unknown right -wing radical Calin Georgescu surprisingly won the first round of the presidential election. However, the constitutional court declared the urn to be invalid for suspicion of the election interference by Russia, Georgescu was excluded from the choice of repeat. In his place, Simion started as a candidate for the right warehouse.

Allegations about disinformation

According to its own statements, the Foreign Ministry again covered a disinformation campaign in the runoff election, which « references to interference by Russia ». « During the ongoing election in Romania, we see typical features of Russian interference again, » said the Romanian Foreign Ministry spokesman in online service X before the polling stations were closed. « A viral campaign with false information on Telegram and other social media platforms aims to influence the election process, » he added.

Previously, the founder of the Messer service Telegram Pavel Durov, explained that France had interfered in the election and asked Telegram to « silence conservative voices in Romania before today’s presidential elections ». The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the allegations and explained the allegations that the allegations were « steering tactics in terms of the real attempts at interference ».

The mood during the election campaign was tense. The previous prime minister and social democrat Marcel Ciolacu surprisingly submitted his resignation on Monday. The new president has the power to determine the new head of government. (APA/dpa)