Romanians are heading to the polls Sunday in a tense presidential runoff between two very different candidates: hard-right leader George Simion and pro-European Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan.
Simion, 38, is the frontrunner after winning 40% in the first round. He leads the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) and is backed by far-right figure Calin Georgescu, who was banned from running after topping last year’s now-cancelled vote.
The previous election was annulled by Romania’s top court over allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference — claims Moscow has denied. That decision triggered political turmoil and exposed deep divisions in the country.
Simion has drawn support from rural voters and young people online. He presents himself as anti-establishment and says he wants to cut taxes, slash red tape and restore “the will of the people.”
“My platform is to return to democracy, to the will of the people,” he said.
Simion denies claims that he’s pro-Russian. In an interview last week, he said:
“Russia is my country's biggest threat,” and added that he wants Romania to be treated as “equal partners” in Brussels.
His opponent, 55-year-old Dan, is a former civic activist and mathematician. He is running as an independent on a pro-Western platform, focused on fighting corruption, supporting Ukraine, and strengthening Romania’s place in NATO and the EU.
At a campaign rally, Dan addressed rising tensions:
“How did it come to this – that in a country with hardworking, decent people, there is so much hatred and division, that families and circles of friends are torn apart over political opinions?” he said. “We need to project hope.”
The race is being closely followed in Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Friday:
“If the pro-Russian and anti-European candidate ... could be elected, the consequences for Moldova would of course be extremely damaging.”
Simion, speaking from Paris alongside French far-right MEP Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, fired back:
“Back off! It is not your job... to get involved with the free sovereign will of the Romanian people,” he said.
“You are not an emperor, you are not loved even by the French people, so these attacks... are not what we should do in a united Europe, in the future European Union.”
The result could shift Romania’s direction for years — and is being seen as a broader test of Europe’s political identity.
In a high‑stakes May 18 runoff, nationalist George Simion and centrist Nicușor Dan clash in a tight race that could steer Romania’s political and European trajectory for years to come.
Millions of voters in Romania, Poland, and Portugal will head to the polls this Sunday, with crucial elections that could shape the future of their countries amid rising political tensions.
George Simion, a far-right, eurosceptic politician, emerged as the clear winner in the first round of Romania's presidential election re-run on Sunday, securing 41% of the vote. He will face Bucharest's Mayor Nicusor Dan, who came in second with 21%, in a runoff scheduled for May 18.
Populist candidate George Simion is on track to win the first round of Romania’s presidential election, fueling concerns over the country’s future direction.
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Mexico, Chile and Uruguay have suspended poultry imports from Brazil after the country reported its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm, Brazilian officials reported.
Nvidia, Cisco, Oracle and OpenAI are backing a massive artificial intelligence data center in Abu Dhabi called “UAE Stargate,” a project closely tied to a similar U.S. initiative launched by president Donald Trump earlier this year.
Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. JJ claimed the trophy with his emotional pop-opera ballad Wasted Love, scoring 426 points in the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland.
Germany and the UK have announced a major new defense partnership to develop a long-range precision missile, part of a broader push for greater European military independence from the United States under president Donald Trump.
Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merzhas expressed skepticism about banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying such a move could do more harm than good to democratic values.
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