Bucharest, Romania - Romania's centrist mayor Nicusor Dan, who won the country's presidential election on Sunday, was shocked by a tough nationalist rival who promised to put Romania on the politically inspired path of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Official results from almost all polling stations show that Dan Garner has about 54% of the voters in the EU and NATO member states, with about 19 million, while Trump’s supporter George Simion is 46%.
Dan, 55, a soft-spoken mathematician who has reached the top in the last few weeks in recent days, a European skeptic who hopes to end military aid to Ukraine in the war with Russia. The election has attracted the highest percentage of voters in the Romanian general election in 25 years.
Simion, who hit the top voting right with 41% of the vote in the first round of the election two weeks ago, said earlier that he won the election.
Dan has promised to fight rampant corruption to maintain support for Ukraine (Romania played a vital logistical role) and has firmly placed the country firmly within the mainstream of Europe.
In Bucharest, supporters of Dan chanted: "Russia, don't forget, Romania is not yours." Dan said during the election that Romania's support for Ukraine is crucial to the security of the growing threat to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Dan on writing on social media: “For Ukraine (as neighbors and friends), it is important to use Romania as a reliable companion.”
The vote in Romania was held the same day as the Polish general election, in which the leader of the Liberal Party, Rafal Trzaskowski, was supported by opposition nationalist law and judicial party.
Both elections were closely watched throughout Europe due to concerns about popular anger at mainstream elites over immigration and life pressures that could support support for Trump and stimulate support for Trump and unify dealing with Russia on the continent.
In Romania, however, election opposition to politicians draws inspiration from right-wing populist Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
"It's a very strong result for pro-European candidates," Rahman said.
“This is another example of Trump’s positive impact on the European election cycle, where concerns over the political and policy direction of action in a magazine-like way mobilize voters.”
Dan admits he faces a daunting challenge of finding the prime minister to negotiate a majority in parliament to reduce Romania's budget deficit (the EU's largest budget deficit), and to ensure investors are at ease and try to avoid credit rating downgrades.
"There will be a tough time in the future when the economic rebalancing can lay the foundation for a healthy society," Dan told supporters after publishing the poll.
Dan later said that negotiations could take several weeks.
The election happened nearly six months after the initial vote was cancelled because of alleged Russian intervention denied by Moscow - supporting far-right leader Calin Georgescu, who was banned from standing again.
If Georgescu wins, Romania looks ready to swing towards Russia, while Simion runs a campaign aimed at benefiting from his support, showing that he will nominate him as prime minister if he wins.
Speaking shortly after the vote, he said his election was "clear".
"I won!!! I am the new president of Romania and I am working on the Romanians!" Simion said on Facebook. But Simon admitted the election later in the evening.
A group of Dan's supporters celebrated his victory at the campaign headquarters in downtown Bucharest.
"These elections are really important to the future of Europe. It's very beneficial for democracy and the younger generation... and our parents and grandparents who fought the system in 1989," said Ilinca Sipoteanu, 19.
Romania's communist dictator Nicolae Ceauscu was overthrown in 1989.