CIVICUS discusses the results of Romania’s presidential election with Anda Serban, Executive Director of the Resource Center for Public Participation, a civil society organisation that promotes public participation and transparency in decision-making.
The 18 May presidential runoff saw far-right nationalist George Simion, who came first in the initial round, lose to centrist candidate Nicușor Dan, a former civic activist backed by a pro-European coalition. Following his defeat, Simion attempted to have the results annulled while alleging foreign interference, and when these efforts failed, he characterised his loss as a coup. This was a rerun following the annulment of the November 2024 vote due to allegations of foreign interference, particularly from Russia. The events pose critical questions about Romania’s democratic trajectory and commitment to European integration.
