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CWA # 1701, 7 June 2025
Global Politics Explainer
Romania’s Presidential Election: Candidates, Issues and Results

  Santhiya M

On 18 May, Nicusor Dan won Romania’s presidential election against George Simion. Dan contested as an independent candidate whereas Simion represented the Alliance for the Union of Romanians. Simion led the first round of the election with 40.5 per cent. Dan stayed behind with 20.89 per cent of votes. in the runoff election, Dan won with 53.6 per cent of the votes. This election happened because the 2024 election got suspended due to allegations of vote manipulation driven by foreign interference.

Who are the candidates?
Nicusor Dan is a mathematician who later became a civic activist. He was also mayor of Bucharest before winning 53.6 per cent of the votes in the presidential elections as an independent candidate. His stances were pro-European Union. he stressed the importance of being a member of the EU and NATO in his campaigns. He also emphasised support for Ukraine, corruption reduction, and to make fiscal reforms.

George Simion ran in the elections, representing the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). He also led the first round of voting but lost in the runoff election. He contested the election as the hard-right candidate as he stressed euroscepticism and ending military aid for Ukraine in his campaigns. He also admired US President Donald Trump.

What are the election issues?
First, the EU and NATO factors. In 2024, the fiscal deficit was 9.3 per cent of its GDP, the highest in the EU. So, the EU funds are highly important to combat the fiscal situation in the country. The danger of freezing EU funds for Romania had an influence on the election. The NATO is considered to be important due to Romania’s geographical position next to Russia and Ukraine. The ongoing war has raised tensions in the neighbourhood, which makes closeness towards NATO crucial.

Second, the fiscal crisis. The country is facing fears of recession. The growth of the economy has slowed down after the COVID-19 pandemic and is now facing the impact of US trade tariffs. The tax hikes following the large budget deficit have impacted the growth. This is coupled with the political instability before and during the election, which has further amplified the recession risks.

Third, the Ukraine question. The question over Ukraine was divergent as both candidates took opposite sides and became part of their campaign statements. Romania shares the longest border with Ukraine, and the war has put Romania in a position to take a stand. 

What led to the fall of the hard-right candidate in the runoff election?
George Simion, with his nationalist and rightist stance, struggled in the runoff election for several reasons. First, his policy motives, such as tax cuts at the minimum wage level and cutting five lakh public jobs, were not welcomed.  Second, his focus on securing the diaspora vote backfired as that demographic remained balanced and failed to sway in his favour.  Third, in the final weeks of campaigning, he displayed an arrogant attitude towards his counterpart. He claimed support from the US president and thanked Trump for excluding Romania from the Visa Waiver program, which aggravated people who wanted to travel to the US visa-free. Finally, the anti-EU and anti-NATO sentiments were not welcomed as the economy and security loomed as two significant aspects of the country. He also opposed aid to Ukraine, where Romania played a logistical role.

What does the election results mean?
Dan's victory reaffirms Romania's commitment towards the EU, NATO, and support for Ukraine. Unlike Simion, he did not endorse the actions of the US President. Dan's win also aligns Romania with the rest of the EU regarding transatlantic affairs, as European countries are trying to unite and collaborate more closely. Romania is expected to align its political direction with that of Europe to become more active in the EU and NATO. This is already starting to appear, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promptly congratulated Dan, saying that his win will contribute to building a strong Europe.

References
“Romanian hard-right leader George Simion wins first round of election rerun,” Reuters, 05 May 2025
“Romania presidential election: what you need to know,” Reuters, 16 May 2025
“Romania braces for heated presidential vote after controversial annulment,” Al Jazeera, 15 May 2025
“Romanian Centrist Victory Brings Relief to Allies,” CEPA, 19 May 2025
“Elections in Romania: Why Did George Simion Lose?,” The Conservative, 19 May 2025
“Romania breathes collective sigh of relief after presidential election thriller,” Euronews, 19 May 2025

About the author
Santhiya M is an undergraduate student at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College. Currently, she is working as a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. 

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