Bucharest Mayor leads Romanian presidential election after 90% of votes counted

Bucharest Mayor and candidate of the ruling Romanian party Nicusor Dan is leading in the second round of the presidential election with 53.68% after counting 90% of the ballots. This follows on Sunday, May 18, from the data of the Central Election Commission of the country.

The head of the opposition Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR) party, George Simion, in turn, is in second position with 46.32% of the vote.

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The outcome of the vote may be influenced by issues related to Russia, Ukraine and NATO.

The second round of the presidential election began in Romania this morning. Polling stations opened at 7:00 (coincides with Moscow time) and will close at 21:00. There are 18,979 polling stations in the country. Romanian citizens living outside the country vote for three days.

Romanian police later escorted Simion, the favorite of the cancelled presidential election in 2024, Georgescu, out of a polling station in a Bucharest suburb. The politicians wanted to make statements, but the police escorted them outside. Simion and Georgescu came to the polling stations accompanied by dozens of supporters.

The news is being updated.