2025 Presidential Election – Runoff Vote. George Simion and Nicușor Dan face off in the final battle for Cotroceni

On Sunday, May 4, during the first round of voting, Romanian voters selected two candidates with starkly different political visions to advance to the second round, scheduled for May 18.

Presidential Election 2025 – Runoff Candidates

The final showdown will take place between George Simion, candidate of the AUR (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) party and clear winner of the first round, and Nicușor Dan, an independent candidate ed by part of USR and the current Mayor of Bucharest.

Who is Nicușor Dan?

Nicușor Dan is known for his academic background in mathematics and his longstanding civic engagement. He rose to national prominence after being elected as the General Mayor of Bucharest.

Dan is seen as a pragmatic figure, focused on technical solutions and istrative efficiency — traits that may appeal to voters seeking stable, results-oriented governance.

Before entering politics, he was active in civil society, advocating for sustainable urban development and fighting corruption — key pillars of his public platform.

In the first round of the 2025 presidential election, Dan secured second place with 1,979,767 votes (20.99%), including 247,388 votes from the diaspora.

His campaign platform includes istrative reform based on regional growth hubs, electoral reform, and a proposal for appointing Constitutional Court judges exclusively from experienced magistrates.

Who is George Simion?

George Simion is the prominent leader of the AUR party, a political force that has rapidly gained traction in Romania’s political landscape. Under his leadership, AUR has experienced a remarkable rise, representing the desire of many citizens for alternatives to the traditional political establishment.

Simion began his public career as a civic activist, notably advocating for the unification of Romania and the Republic of Moldova — a central theme of his political message. His nationalist views, particularly the idea of national unity, remain core to his platform.

This ideology has shaped his political identity and appeals strongly to nationalist and conservative voters.

In the first round of the 2025 election held on May 4, Simion won convincingly, securing 3,862,761 votes (40.96%), including 587,190 from abroad, making him the front-runner in the race for the presidency.

His campaign promises include revealing the “truth” about the cancellation of the 2024 elections and advocating for the rights of Romanians both inside and outside the European Union.

Where and how to vote in the 2025 presidential elections

To participate, citizens must have a valid ID and comply with the rules set by the electoral authorities. Both domestic and overseas voters can access essential information about the process through official channels. Voting is open between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., with extensions allowed until 11:59 p.m. for those already inside the polling stations.

To find out where to vote, the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) offers the Electoral — an online platform where voters can enter their Personal Numeric Code (CNP) to find their assigned polling station.

Key facts about election day – May 18

A total of 17,988,031 Romanian citizens are ed on the permanent electoral rolls.

• 1,016,350 Romanians abroad are ed with voting rights.
• 20,314 citizens have been stripped of voting rights.
• 6,085 diaspora voters ed for mail-in voting via www.votstrainatate.ro.
• 2,235 voters abroad opted for in-person voting and also ed through the same platform.

There are 18,979 polling stations organized in Romania and 965 abroad — 15 more than in the 2024 elections. Of the domestic polling stations, 97.94% (18,587) meet minimum accessibility standards for persons with reduced mobility.

Romania to elect its fifth post-communist president

Since the fall of communism in 1989, Romania has had four presidents: Ion Iliescu, Emil Constantinescu, Traian Băsescu, and Klaus Iohannis. According to the Constitution, a president may only serve two consecutive , making Klaus Iohannis ineligible to run again immediately.

The Romanian president holds key powers in both domestic and foreign policy and occupies the highest-ranking position in the state. These responsibilities are clearly defined by the country’s Constitution and divided between internal governance and international representation. Candidates must meet strict legal conditions to be eligible for the presidency.

2025 Presidential Election – First Round Results

• George Simion: 3,862,761 votes (40.96%), including 587,190 from abroad
• Nicușor Dan: 1,979,767 votes (20.99%), including 247,388 from abroad
• Crin Antonescu: 1,892,930 votes (20.07%), including 65,270 from abroad
• Victor Ponta: 1,230,164 votes (13.04%), including 23,188 from abroad
• Elena Lasconi: 252,721 votes (2.68%), including 31,508 from abroad

*This article was translated and adapted using AI-assisted tools and has been reviewed for accuracy by human editors. While every effort has been made to ensure fidelity to the original Romanian version, minor differences may exist due to translation nuances.