Bucharest mayor wins Romanian presidential election

Romania's centrist Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, won the country's presidential election on Sunday in what Reuters described as a shock upset over a “hard-right, nationalist” rival who had pledged to put Romania on a path inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump's politics.

Official results from nearly all voting stations showed Dan garnering about 54% of ballots cast by voters, while Trump supporter George Simion was at 46%, according to Reuters.

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

Simion, who was the top vote-getter in the first round of the election two weeks ago with 41% of ballots cast, conceded after earlier saying he won the election.

Dan had campaigned on a pledge to fight rampant corruption, to maintain support for Ukraine - where Romania has played an important logistic role - and to keep the country firmly within the European mainstream, according to Reuters.

On Sunday evening in the capital Bucharest, Dan supporters chanted "Russia, don't forget, Romania isn't yours." Staunchly pro-EU and NATO, Dan said in the run-up to the election that Romania's support for Ukraine was crucial for “its own security against a growing Russian threat,” Reuters reported.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy congratulated Dan on his "historic victory," writing on social media: "For Ukraine - as a neighbour and friend - it is important to have Romania as a reliable partner.'