Romania’s pro-West candidate Nicușor Dan wins presidential election in dramatic comeback

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Impartial candidate Nicușor Dan has received the Romanian presidential election rerun thriller, which transfixed and polarised the nation on Sunday.

After 97% of votes had been counted, Dan maintained a bonus of 54% over his nationalist competitor George Simion, who received 45% of voters’ assist — a distinction of round 900,000 votes, which, with solely half one million ballots to rely, has change into inconceivable to beat.

The late-night cliffhanger got here after 11 million Romanians voted, with a 64% turnout, in a high-stakes repeat of the annulled presidential vote in December 2024.

Earlier on Sunday, home exit polls revealed by Euronews Romania projected Dan had received about 54% of the vote on Sunday, whereas Simion hovered round 45% — which turned out to be an correct prediction.

As issues stand, the nation on NATO’s japanese flank selected the pro-EU, pro-NATO candidate in a large turnout marked by worry and resentment, overturning Simion’s lead within the first spherical.

Everybody’s a winner

Earlier on Sunday, each candidates declared victory as they awaited the official rely.

“As we speak’s win is by a Romanian neighborhood that wishes a profound change,” Dan stated after the polls turned public. “We live a second of hope.”

“From tomorrow, all collectively, let’s begin Romania’s reconstruction. Romania will undergo arduous second let’s bear in mind the power of our nation,” Dan added.

“It’s our obligation to combat for a single Romania, not for 2 Romanias,” he concluded.

Euronews Romania’s dwell protection has proven tons of of celebrating Dan supporters flooding the central avenue in entrance of Bucharest’s city corridor, the place the impartial candidate was voted mayor twice.

In the meantime, Simion declared himself “Romania’s new president” at his social gathering’s gathering within the Romanian parliament in Bucharest.

“A brand new period is born tonight. It’s time for an epoch wherein Romania be democratic, Christian and wealthy. So assist us God,” Simion introduced.

“We’re the clear winners of those elections. We declare the victory within the title of the Romanian individuals. It’s the victory of the humiliated Romanian individuals,” he stated.

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“It doesn’t matter which aspect every of us has been in these elections, that is democracy, we now have to shake arms.”

Simion additionally thanked the Romanian diaspora, whom he visited extensively over the past days of the presidential marketing campaign earlier this week.

“I owe at the moment’s victory to the Romanian diaspora. You Romanian who left overseas, it’s essential to know that solely with you we will make Romania nice among the many states of the free world.”

“I don’t promise miracles, however I promise to be amongst you,” he concluded.

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Simion then left the stage to the sound of Village Individuals’s “YMCA,” considered one of US President Donald Trump’s favorite tracks on his 2024 marketing campaign path.

Pretend information marketing campaign noticed once more

Within the final hours of the voting, Romania’s international, inside and defence ministries denounced what they known as “Russian interference,” warning voters a few pretend information marketing campaign rolled out on Telegram, TikTok and different social media platforms.

The Romanian international ministry spokesperson Andrei Tarnea stated on X Sunday that “as soon as once more we see the distinctive indicators of Russian interference (…) to affect the electoral course of.

“This was anticipated,” he added.

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In a coordinated transfer, the three ministries revealed {that a} pretend video revealed on Sunday “falsely claims that French troops in Romania secretly put on Romanian gendarmerie uniforms to intervene internally,” has been linked on to Russia.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that he refused a request from “a Western nation”, which he didn’t title, to “silence” the conservative voices in Romania.

“Telegram won’t prohibit the liberties of Romanian customers, nor will it block their political channels”, Durov stated.

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Observe Euronews Romania’s dwell protection of the presidential election repeat’s runoff right here.