Gathered in front of the town hall building in central Bucharest, a dense crowd celebrated late into the night on Sunday, May 18, the victory of centrist and pro-European Mayor Nicusor Dan in the second round of the presidential election. Dan garnered nearly 54% of the vote compared to 46% for his rival, the far-right nationalist George Simion. This surge can be explained by the strong mobilization in the second round to block Simion, with a turnout of nearly 65%, compared to only 53% in the first round.

Welcomed with relief by his supporters after hours of suspense, Dan's victory confirms the Euro-Atlantic stance of this Black Sea coastal country, whose role is crucial for Europe's security against 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 East and West.

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