Gathered against the town hall building in the center of Bucharest, a compact crowd celebrated, until late on the night of Sunday, 18 to Monday, May 19, the victory of the centrist and pro-European mayor Nicusor Dan in the second round of the presidential election, with almost 54 % of the votes against 46 % for his rival, the far-right nationalist George Simion. This start is explained by the strong mobilization of the second round in order to block Mr. Simion, with a participation rate bordering on 65 %, against only 53 % in the first round.
Welcomed with relief by his supporters after hours of suspense, Mr. Dan's victory confirms the Euroatlantist orientation of this country of the Black Sea coast, whose role is crucial for Europe's security in the face of the Russian threat. It marks a major turning point in a very tense election, perceived by many Romanians as the expression of a geopolitical choice between the east and the west.
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Source: Lemonde