IMAGO
In the second round of Romania’s presidential election, the clear favorite, a Eurosceptic, unexpectedly lost to a candidate backed by the European Commission and France
The anticipated anti-EU upset never materialized. On May 18, the far-right nationalist George Simion was defeated by Nicușor Dan, the liberal-progressive mayor of Bucharest, who received strong support from France and the European Commission. Remarkably, Simion had secured 41% of the vote in the first round, while Dan had only received 21%. However, in a dramatic turnaround, the underdog finished with nearly 54% of the vote, leaving Simion behind with just 46%.
On the eve of the election, Telegram founder Pavel Durov claimed that an «influential European country» (understood to be France) had asked him to «silence conservative voices in Romania» and block certain Telegram channels. France’s Foreign Ministry categorically denied the accusation.
«The allegations against France are merely a distraction from real threats of interference aimed at Romania. Paris urges all Romanian political actors to act responsibly and defend democracy», its press service said.
Romania’s Foreign Ministry echoed concerns about alleged Russian interference, again without providing evidence. But what election nowadays goes without the standard «Russian trace»?
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, responded with irony. On her Telegram channel, she first asked not to call the event an «election».
«Secondly, you can’t interfere in something like this — you can only get stuck in it. So don’t smear anyone else with your electoral mess. Clean it up yourselves!» Zakharova added.
From the perspective of Ursula von der Leyen and others in Brussels, a Simion victory would have added to a growing bloc of Eurosceptic leaders, alongside Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico — a troubling trio. It’s likely that the full weight of the Brussels bureaucracy was thrown behind Dan. The European Commission recently played a similar role in securing Maia Sandu’s reelection in Moldova.
The Romanian elections were closely watched on both sides of the Atlantic. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Romania has significantly bolstered its position on NATO’s eastern flank. A glance at a map reveals why: Romania borders Ukraine, has access to the Black Sea, and lies directly opposite Crimea. But that’s not all. Romania’s territory is also crucial for containing Turkey, projecting influence into Moldova — particularly with regard to the unrecognized Transnistria region — and monitoring Serbia’s actions toward Kosovo. Open conflict, simmering tension, or potential instability lie in every direction. Most importantly, Romania has become a frontline outpost in the event of a future war with Russia.
Last March, Bucharest announced the start of construction on what will become NATO’s largest base in Europe, surpassing the American Ramstein base in Germany. The base is being built near Constanța, on the Black Sea coast in the commune of Mihail Kogălniceanu, on the site of the former 57th Romanian Air Force Base. Currently, 4,700 elite U.S. troops from the 101st Airborne Division, the «Screaming Eagles», are stationed there on a rotational basis. By 2040, the base is expected to permanently house 10,000 U.S. troops and their families. The base will be a fully autonomous NATO facility with its own schools, daycare centers, shops, pharmacies, and hospitals.
In truth, Simion never stood much of a chance. On the campaign trail, he was often accompanied by Călin Georgescu, who won the first round of last November’s presidential election. However, the results were annulled by Romania’s Constitutional Court on December 6. The court cited serious violations, including improper campaign finance reporting, illegal use of digital tools, and alleged support for far-right groups. It ordered a new vote. Simion had pledged to nominate Georgescu as prime minister if elected. His strong showing in the first round had already triggered a government crisis, prompting the sitting prime minister to resign. As a result, nearly all senior government officials are currently serving in an interim capacity with limited powers.
In Romania, the presidency is far from symbolic. The president has substantial authority over foreign policy, national security, defense spending, and judicial appointments. The president can also dissolve parliament if lawmakers reject two prime ministerial candidates.
After the preliminary results were announced, Simion claimed that the vote was rigged and his victory was stolen. However, he conceded defeat after a brief pause.
The pro-European Dan quickly received congratulations from key figures: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; French President Emmanuel Macron; Moldovan President Maia Sandu; and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who was relieved. The new president announced that he would immediately begin talks with four pro-European parliamentary parties to form a new government.
The West appears to be breathing a collective sigh of relief — disaster has been averted, again.