BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) \u2014 The pro-European Union candidate in Romania\u2019s critical presidential runoff has won the closely watched race against a hard-right nationalist, nearly complete electoral data shows, in a tense election rerun that many viewed as a geopolitical choice between East or West.<\/p>\n
The race pitted front-runner George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, against incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. It was held months after the cancellation of the previous election plunged Romania into its worst political crisis in decades.<\/p>\n
After 10.5 million of 11.6 million votes had been counted, Dan was ahead with 54.32%, while votes for Simion stood at 45.68%, according to official data.<\/p>\n
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP\u2019s earlier story follows below.<\/p>\n
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) \u2014 The pro-European Union candidate in Romania\u2019s tense presidential runoff has taken a clear lead in the polls, nearly complete electoral data shows, in a closely-watched vote against a hard-right nationalist that could determine the geopolitical direction of the NATO member country.<\/p>\n
The race pitted front-runner George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, against incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. It was held months after the cancellation of the previous election plunged Romania into its worst political crisis in decades.<\/p>\n
After 10 million of 11.6 million votes had been counted, Dan was ahead with 54.35%, while Simion trailed at 45.65%, according to official data. <\/p>\n
Thousands gathered outside Dan\u2019s headquarters near Bucharest City Hall to await the final results, chanting \u201cNicusor!\u201d Each time his lead widened as more results came in, the crowd, many waving the flags of Europe, would erupt in cheers.<\/p>\n
Higher voter turnout than in first round<\/p>\n
When voting closed at 9 p.m. (1800 GMT), official electoral data showed a 64% voter turnout. About 1.64 million Romanians abroad, who have been able to vote since Friday at specially set-up polling stations, participated in the vote.<\/p>\n
Dan told the media that \u201celections are not about politicians\u201d but about communities and that in Sunday\u2019s vote, \u201ca community of Romanians has won, a community that wants a profound change in Romania.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Romania goes through difficult times, let us remember the strength of this Romanian society,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is also a community that lost today\u2019s elections. A community that is rightly outraged by the way politics has been conducted in Romania up to now.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the final votes were still being counted, Ruxandra Gheorghiu told The Associated Press at Dan\u2019s raucous rally in Bucharest that she felt overwhelmed by the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was so scared that our European force is near the end \u2026 we are still in Europe and we are not fighting for this right,\u201d she said. \u201cI cannot explain the feeling right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turnout was significantly higher in Sunday\u2019s runoff and is expected to play a decisive role in the outcome. In the first round on May 4<\/a>, final turnout stood at 53% of eligible voters.<\/p>\n Romania\u2019s political landscape was upended last year when a top court voided the previous election in which far-right outsider Calin Georgescu<\/a> topped first-round polls, following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow denied.<\/p>\n Standing on the steps of Romania\u2019s colossal Communist-era parliament building after polls closed, Simion predicted a significant victory, which he called a \u201cvictory of the Romanian people.\u201d Simion said that Georgescu was \u201csupposed to be the president\u201d before last year\u2019s election was annulled. He also called for vigilance against election fraud, but said that overall he was satisfied with the conduct of the vote.<\/p>\n Shortly after 6 p.m., Romania\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Andrei Tarnea said in a post on X that the election was subject to a \u201cviral campaign of fake news\u201d on the Telegram messaging app and other social media platforms, which tried to influence the electoral process and had \u201cthe hallmarks of Russian interference.\u201d <\/p>\n Networks of coordinated disinformation<\/a> have emerged as a pervasive force throughout Romania\u2019s entire election cycle. Romanian authorities debunked the deluge of fake news, Tarnea said. <\/p>\n Simion appeared alongside Georgescu at a Bucharest polling station on Sunday and told reporters that he voted against the \u201chumiliations to which our sisters and brothers have been subjected.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s going on in Romania?<\/p>\n Years of endemic corruption and growing anger toward Romania\u2019s political establishment<\/a> have fueled a surge in support for anti-establishment and hard-right figures, reflecting a broader pattern across Europe. Both Simion and Dan have made their political careers railing against Romania\u2019s old political class.<\/p>\n Most recent local surveys indicated that the runoff would be tight, after earlier ones showed Simion holding a lead over Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician who rose to prominence as a civic activist fighting against illegal real estate projects.<\/p>\n After voting in his hometown of Fagaras, Dan told reporters that he voted for Romanians \u201cwho are quiet, honest, and hardworking, and who have not felt represented for a long time,\u201d and \u201cfor strong cooperation with our European partners, not for Romania\u2019s isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n Dan founded the reformist Save Romania Union party in 2016, but later left, and is running independently on a pro-European Union ticket reaffirming Western ties, support for Ukraine and fiscal reform.<\/p>\n Simion\u2019s rhetoric in the lead-up to Sunday had raised some concerns that he wouldn\u2019t respect the outcome if he lost. In the early afternoon, he told reporters that his team was confident in a \u201clandslide victory,\u201d if the election was \u201cfree and fair.\u201d <\/p>\n However, he repeated allegations of voting irregularities among Romanian citizens in neighboring Moldova and said that his party members would conduct a parallel vote count after polls close. He told The Associated Press that the ballot so far had proceeded properly. <\/p>\n Adrian Nadin, a 51-year-old musician who supported Georgescu in the previous election, said that he chose Simion.<\/p>\n \u201cA part of Romania prefers conservatism,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Luminita Petrache, a 32-year-old financial crimes analyst, didn\u2019t want to say who she voted for but described the runoff as a geopolitical choice between East and West.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very important because the next president will be our image in Europe, and (decide) how Romania will evolve in the next five years,\u201d she said. \u201cI hope for changes in Romania in good ways.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s ahead?<\/p>\n The president is elected for a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in matters of national security and foreign policy. The winner of Sunday\u2019s race will be charged with nominating a new prime minister after Marcel Ciolacu stepped down following the failure of his coalition\u2019s candidate to advance to the runoff<\/a>.<\/p>\n