Centrist wins Romanian vote over pro-Trump rival

Romania’s centrist Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, won the country’s presidential election yesterday in a shock upset over a hard-right, nationalist rival who had pledged to put Romania on a path inspired by US president Donald Trump’s politics.

- LUIZA ILIE

Official results from nearly all voting stations showed Dan garnering about 54 per cent of ballots cast by voters in the EU and Nato member country of about 19 million people, while Trump supporter George Simion was at 46 per cent.

Mr Dan, 55, a soft-spoken mathematician, made a last-minute dash to the top in recent days after weeks of trailing Mr Simion, a eurosceptic wanting to end military aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia. The election drew the highest percentage of voter turnout in a Romanian election in 25 years.