Description: In a dramatic turn of events, centrist independent candidate Nicusor Dan has triumphed against his ultranationalist far – right opponent George Simion in the Romanian presidential elections. Simion was previously favored to win by a landslide over Dan according to the latest polling before the elections and the first round of voting. Dan won the majority of votes forming a comfortable disparity in support of 8% with Simion garnering around 46% of the votes while Dan sat at 54%. The newly elected President was labeled as a moderate politician, level – headed decision maker and a major proponent for the fight against corruption in Romania. Allegations and turmoil followed Dan’s Sunday triumph as opposition candidate Simion accused Romania’s Electoral Permanent Authority for allowing pro – EU disinformation sentiments to dictate the results of the election. Simion also stated that there was refutable evidence that elderly incapacitated people were threatened with voting for Nicusor Dan or face expulsion from the institutions they were housed in. Tensions escalated when Telegram founder Pavel Durov stated that he flatly refused a request by France’s foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE, to block conservative – sponsored content in the election. His statement was complementary to the information presented on 16 May, that French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone call with Nicusor Dan reassuring him of his victory on Sunday.
Impact: Romania has decisively elected to remain on the country’s European path and dedicate its political establishment towards incorporating reforms in line with the bloc’s strategic alignment. Simion’s populistic wave of ultranationalism rapidly deflated as the far – right suffered another close defeat in a high stakes election likened to the one in Germany. The Romanian presidential elections were overwhelmed by speculations of Russian interference which has apparently fallen flat in comparison to the evident electoral interventionism from the European countries. Dan’s centrist political orientation has primed Romania’s future President to be eligible and have the right amount of credibility to garner a strong political coalition which would propel Romania as one of EU’s eastern strategic strongholds. Indications of political upheaval amid the recent speculations of election interference from the EU are currently unlikely, as Simion also conceded the elections congratulating Dan publicly. The recently exposed information regarding France’s role in swaying the elections, could be either perceived as a last resort method by the EU to persuade voters away from appointing a far – right President, or as Russia’s attempt to discredit Dan’s victory as the precise information regarding the interference came from Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov.