Nicușor Dan appears on track to win Romania’s presidential run-off, according to exit polls. Data from CURS places the Bucharest mayor at 54.1 per cent—nine points ahead of George Simion, candidate of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR). A separate poll by Avangarde shows an even wider margin, predicting 54.9 per cent for Dan.
Voter turnout reached a record high of nearly 65 per cent, with over 11.6 million Romanians casting their votes—including approximately 1.4 million from abroad. It is important to note that diaspora votes are not included in exit polls, which could significantly affect the final results. In the first round, Simion secured more than 60 per cent of diaspora ballots.
Despite exit polls indicating defeat, Simion declared on X shortly after polls closed: ‘I am the New President of Romania.’ Earlier in the day, he had voiced concerns about potential electoral fraud, pointing to the presence of 1.8 million deceased individuals on the electoral register and warning they could be used to manipulate the vote. He also demanded the urgent dispatch of additional ballot papers and extended voting hours at diaspora polling stations, claiming shortages and long queues in several locations.
This presidential election is already considered the most controversial in Romania’s post-communist history. The original vote, held in late 2024, saw the Constitutional Court annul the first-round result, citing alleged Russian interference in support of right-wing ultranationalist candidate Călin Georgescu—claims that have not been conclusively proven.
Adding to the tensions on election day, Telegram founder Pavel Durov claimed on X that a Western European government had approached his platform, requesting the suppression of conservative voices in Romania ahead of the vote. Durov, who inserted a baguette emoji in his post—widely interpreted as a reference to France—wrote: ‘I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.’ The Romanian government dismissed his claim as part of a ‘Moscow-linked disinformation campaign’.
Reacting to the exit poll results, Nicușor Dan thanked voters and stressed a shared aspiration for change. ‘This victory belongs to a community of Romanians who want profound change in Romania—who want functional state institutions, reduced corruption, a prosperous economy, and a society based on dialogue, not hatred,’ he stated.
Dan received the endorsement of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) ahead of the second round. UDMR leader Hunor Kelemen called a Simion presidency ‘a threat to the Hungarian community’. Simion, long known for his anti-Hungarian rhetoric—once calling UDMR a ‘hideous, chauvinistic creature’—has recently attempted to moderate his tone.
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