In Romania, the election commission completed the counting of votes cast in the May 18 presidential election. It testified the victory of the current mayor of Bucharest Nikushor Dan, known for his centrist, pro-European and pro-Ukrainian position.
According to official figures, he won 53.6% of the vote, while his rival, far-right candidate George Simion, won 46.4%. Voter turnout reached a record level of 64.72%, which corresponds to 11,641,866 votes out of 17,988,218 registered voters.
“This is your victory. This is a victory for thousands and thousands of people who campaigned these days, who believed that Romania could change in the right direction.”, – said Nikushor Dan, addressing his supporters.
He also noted that “we must build Romania together”, regardless of political preferences, addressing George Simion’s voters.
George Simion admitted defeat:
“I would like to congratulate my opponent, Nikushor Dan. He won the election. It was the will of the Romanian people”.
Some world leaders have already congratulated Nikushor Dan on his victory, including the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
“For Ukraine, as a neighbor and friend, it is important to have a reliable partner in Romania. And we are sure that this will be the case. Working together, we can strengthen both our countries and our Europe”, – emphasized Zelensky.
The election followed a period of political instability caused by the annulment of the early vote and the banning of one of the frontrunners. The President of Romania has the power to appoint the Prime Minister with the approval of the Parliament, represents the country at NATO and EU summits, and can also impose a veto on behalf of the state within the European Union.
