EU Leaders Relieved After Centrist Dan Wins Romanian Presidency
Romania’s European allies and markets welcomed centrist Nicusor Dan’s presidential election victory over the euroskeptic hard-right on Sunday, relieved that the European Union member avoided a lurch to a Donald Trump-inspired political path.
Dan, a softly-spoken 55-year-old mathematician and Bucharest mayor, won 54% of votes in the country of 19 million, beating rival George Simion, a vocal Trump admirer whose strong showing in the first round of voting this month had rattled allies and investors.
On Monday, the leu gained more than 1% after shedding as much as 3% this month in the run up to the election and Romania’s euro-denominated bonds rallied.
Dan had campaigned on a pledge to fight corruption, maintain support for Ukraine, where Romania has played an important logistical role, and keep the country firmly within the European mainstream.
In contrast, Simion, a 38-year-old nationalist, had been critical of EU leadership and opposed military aid to Ukraine, and his strong position before Sunday’s run-off had caused the collapse of Romania’s pro-Western coalition government.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was one of the first to congratulate Dan.
