Pro-EU centrist Nicusor Dan to be sworn in as Romania president
BUCHAREST: Pro-EU centrist Nicusor Dan on Monday will take the oath of office to become Romania's president, having pledged to stand against "isolationism and Russian influence".
A week ago, Dan won a tense election rerun seen as key for the direction of the Nato and EU member country of 19 million people that borders war-torn Ukraine.
The vote came five months after Romania's constitutional court, in a shock move, scrapped a presidential ballot over allegations of Russian interference and the massive social media promotion of the far-right frontrunner, who was not allowed to stand again.
Although EU critic and nationalist George Simion easily topped the first round of voting, Dan took victory in the second round run-off.
Dan, 55, is scheduled to take the oath of office in parliament at noon (0900 GMT).
The former mayor of Bucharest will then meet interim president Ilie Bolojan -- who has been tipped as a possible prime minister.
Dan, who has vowed to bring a "new chapter" to Romania, travelled to Warsaw on Sunday to support pro-EU Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who hopes to win Sunday's race for the Polish presidency.
"We won the Romanian presidential elections.
People rejected isolationism and Russian influence," Dan told thousands of people at a Trzaskowski rally.
'Will resist'
Tensions remain high in Romania with authorities on alert after calls to protest on Monday by hundreds of TikTok users.
"We will resist!" Simion, 38, wrote on Facebook on Sunday, although he specified that he would not be protesting on Monday.
Romania's constitutional court on Thursday validated the election results, after rejecting an appeal by Simion to cancel the vote.
Simion alleges that there was foreign interference, including by France, and slammed the court's decision as a "coup d'etat".
Simion comfortably topped the first-round ballot on May 4, campaigning against the EU's "absurd policies" and vowing to cut aid to Ukraine.
But Dan won almost 54 percent of the run-off vote.
Romania's president has significant sway in foreign policy -- including representing the country at NATO and EU summits -- and appoints key posts, such as the prime minister.
Dan, a mathematics prodigy who has promised to fight corruption for an "honest" Romania, has said he would speak to all four pro-Western parliamentary parties about "not only the appointment of the prime minister, but also the outline of the government's programme", including justice reforms.
Romanians are struggling with high inflation in the EU's most indebted country.
Dan, who became mayor of Bucharest in 2020 and is known for his reserved nature, has voiced support for Ukraine and vowed to keep Romania on its "pro-Western" path.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Zelenskyy captures Trump's attention with $90 billion arms deal in return for security guarantee
In a major rehaul from his last visit to the White House, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was able to entice US President Donald Trump to discuss the security guarantees for Kyiv in order to secure a peace deal with Russia, during the summit at the Oval Office on Monday which also saw several European leaders in Washington backing the Ukrainian president. Zelenskyy's last visit to Washington turned into an argument with Trump over the Russian war and became one of the worst public spat between two world leaders. However, on Monday, Zelenskyy left no stone unturned amid the high optics related to the meeting and said that security guarantees for Ukraine will likely be worked out within 10 days. 🚨 NEW — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 18, 2025 Zelenskyy briefed the media about the discussion with European leaders and Trump regarding the security guarantees for Ukraine and said the discussion included plans for Ukraine to purchase $90 billion in American weapons through European funding. The Ukrainian president added that another aspect of the guarantees would involve Kyiv manufacturing drones, some of which would be purchased by the United States. 'There indeed is a package with our proposals worth $90 billion. And we have agreements with the US president that when our export opens, they will buy Ukrainian drones. This is important for us,' Zelenskyy said, reported The Guardian. However, no formal agreement regarding the security guarantees have been reached but Zelenskyy said it is a necessary 'starting point for ending war'. After the meeting, Trump said talks with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and other European leaders were 'good' and that the United States would oversee European security guarantees for Ukraine. 'During the meeting we discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, which guarantees would be provided by the various European countries, with a coordination with the United States of America,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump further said he has begun to arrange a bilateral meeting between Ukraine's Zelenskyy and Russia's Putin, with location yet to be determined and if the meeting goes well, then a trilateral summit would be held involving Trump.
Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Zelenskyy thanks Melania Trump for advocacy on ‘abduction of Ukrainian children'
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his heartfelt gratitude to US First Lady, Melania Trump, for her letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which highlighted the issue of 'abduction of Ukrainian children' by Moscow. Outlining the humanitarian toll of the war, Zelenskyy emphasised the efforts being made to reunite the families separated in the conflict. 'I want to thank FLOTUS Melania Trump for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war – the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin. This issue lies at the heart of the war's humanitarian tragedy – our children, broken families, the pain of separation. At least 20,000 children were taken. I asked President Trump to pass along a letter of gratitude from Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, to Melania. Her voice matters, and her care gives strength to this cause,' The Ukrainian leader said in a post on X. I want to thank @FLOTUS Melania Trump for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war – the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin. This issue lies at the heart of the war's… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025 He further reaffirmed his commitment to freeing the prisoners of war and civilians held in Russia for years. 'We are working tirelessly to bring every child home. The same applies for our prisoners of war and civilians held in Russia for years, some since 2014, in very bad conditions. Thousands of people still need to be freed – and this is a part of making peace. We will work to negotiate all-for-all prisoners of war exchange, and we are grateful to have strong friends who help,' he added. Zelenskyy's remarks came in response to a post by US President Donald Trump where he said that he, along with President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have been discussing the 'massive worldwide problem of missing children'. He asserted that the issue was a priority and the world would work together to reunite them with their families. 'Ursula von der Leyen, the distinguished and Highly Respected President of the European Commission, and I have been discussing the massive Worldwide problem of missing children. This is, likewise, a big subject with my wife, Melania. It is a subject at the top of all lists, and the World will work together to solve it, hopefully bringing them home to their families,' Trump said in a post on his Truth Social handle. Zelenskyy hands letter from the Ukrainian first lady to Trump Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy presented Trump with a letter from Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska and told the US president that the letter was for FLOTUS. 'My wife, the first lady of Ukraine, she gave the letter. It's not to you but to your wife,' he said. Happening now in the Oval Office. WATCH ⬇️ — The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2025 A highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, along with other European leaders, concluded at the White House on Monday (Aug 18). Describing the discussions as 'very good', the leaders indicated a possibility of a peace deal between the warring countries, Russia and Ukraine. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, flew to Washington to attend the meeting backing Zelenskyy, days after Trump hosted Putin in Alaska for a summit that failed to result in a ceasefire. (With inputs from agencies)
Mint
11 minutes ago
- Mint
Will Ukraine be allowed to join NATO under Security Guarantees? Explained
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has suggested an Article 5–style arrangement for Ukraine as part of providing 'Security Guarantees' to Kyiv, which has faced relentless Russian bombardment since February 2022. But does this also amount to a promise of NATO membership for Ukraine as a guarantee of its future security in the face of the Russian war? Speaking with press after meeting with Zekensky and other European leaders at the White House, NATO secretary general Rutte said the team was discussing 'some Article 5 type arrangement' for Ukraine to protect it from future invasions by Russia. His comments were backed by Finland President Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb who said, 'We spoke of Article 5 type of Security Guarantees.' Article 5 provides that if a NATO ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked. It says, 'The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.' If Ukraine receives Article 5–style assurances, any future Russian attack would obligate all NATO allies to come to Kyiv's defense. But a NATO membership for Ukraine? Maybe not! Mark Rutte, speaking on NATO membership for Ukraine, said it was not under discussion but on what securities could be provided to the country. He also revealed that the United States and some other countries are against NATO membership for Ukraine. Also Read | Did Zelensky agree to a ceasefire? What do we know from Trump-Zelensky meeting? 'The situation is this - that the US and some other countries have said that they are against NATO membership for Ukraine. The official NATO position ... is that there is an irreversible path for Ukraine into NATO,' Mark Rutte said. 'But what we are discussing here is not NATO membership, what we are discussing here is Article 5 type of security guarantees for Ukraine and what exactly they will entail will now be more specifically discussed.' The 'Security Guarantees' would ensure that Russia does not invade Ukraine again. There was also no talks of sending troops on the ground in Ukraine but a NATO-style protection for Ukraine. NATO has 32 member countries called the NATO Allies. NATO was created by 12 countries on April 4, 1949 and over years, 20 more countries have joined the alliance. The member countries of NATO are: Belgium (1949), Canada (1949), Denmark (1949), France (1949), Iceland (1949), Italy (1949), Luxembourg (1949), Netherlands (1949), Norway (1949), Portugal (1949), United Kingdom (1949), United States (1949), Greece (1952), Türkiye (1952), Germany (1955), Spain (1982), Czechia (1999), Hungary (1999), Poland (1999), Bulgaria (2004), Estonia (2004), Latvia (2004), Lithuania (2004), Romania (2004), Slovakia (2004), Slovenia (2004), Albania (2009), Croatia (2009), Montenegro (2017), North Macedonia (2020), Finland (2023), and Sweden (2024).
