Latest news with #NicusorDan
Reuters
an hour ago
- Business
- Reuters
Centrist mayor Dan wins Romanian presidency over hard-right rival
Romania's centrist Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, won the country's presidential election on Sunday in 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. Ryan Chang has more.
Free Malaysia Today
17 hours ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Pro-EU centrist Dan sworn in as Romania president
Nicusor Dan has vowed to usher in a 'new chapter' in Romania. (AFP pic) BUCHAREST : Pro-European centrist Nicusor Dan was on Monday sworn in as 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 European Union country bordering war-torn Ukraine. Although EU critic and nationalist George Simion easily topped the first round of voting, Dan took victory in the second round run-off. The election came five months after Romania's constitutional court 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. Dan, 55 and Bucharest mayor since 2020, took the oath of office in parliament. 'The Romanian state needs a fundamental change, within the rule of law, and I invite you to continue to be involved in order to put positive pressure on state institutions to reform,' Dan told the assembly after being sworn in. 'I call on political parties to act in the national interest,' he said. Lawmakers from Simion's far-right AUR party did not participate in the ceremony, saying it was 'legitimising a national treason'. Later on Monday, Dan is to meet interim president Ilie Bolojan – who has been tipped as a possible prime minister. Dan has vowed to usher in a 'new chapter' in Romania. He travelled to Warsaw on Sunday to support pro-EU mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, who hopes to emerge the winner of 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 really for Trzaskowski. 'We will resist' Tensions remained high in Romania, with authorities on alert after hundreds of TikTok users called for protests on Monday. '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 validated the election results on Thursday, after rejecting an appeal by Simion to annul the vote. Simion has repeatedly alleged that there was foreign interference in the vote, including by France, and electoral fraud, without giving any evidence. He condemned the court's decision as a 'coup d'etat'. Simion comfortably topped the first-round ballot on May 4, campaigning against what he called the EU's 'absurd policies' and vowing to cut aid to Ukraine. But, Dan won almost 54% 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 judicial reforms. Romania, a country of 19 million people, is struggling with high inflation. It is the EU's most indebted country. Dan, who is known for his reserved nature, has voiced support for Ukraine and vowed to keep Romania on its 'pro-Western' path.
Free Malaysia Today
17 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Romanian intelligence denies French spy chief's visit before election
Nationalist George Simion lost Romania's May 18 election run-off. (EPA Images pic) BUCHAREST : Romania's foreign intelligence service on Thursday denied that the French spy chief had visited the country before its presidential election run-off this month, as the Russian head of Telegram has claimed. Pavel Durov, the Telegram social network's CEO, has said that the head of France's foreign intelligence department, the DGSE, went to Bucharest a few days before the May 18 vote, and indicated that this was to influence the outcome of the run-off vote, ultimately won by centrist Nicusor Dan against a nationalist candidate. Romania's intelligence service, the SIE, made a rare public statement to deny that DGSE chief Nicolas Lerner had been in Bucharest before the election. 'To ensure that citizens are properly informed', said an SIE statement which named Lerner and mentioned reports of his alleged meetings in Bucharest, 'we clarify that such a visit did not take place'. Durov, who faces charges in France related to criminal activity on Telegram, has also said in social media messages and by video to a conference in Oslo that Lerner had requested he silence conservative Romanian commentators on the platform. The DGSE has denied those claims. The SIE statement said that the department's activities were 'apolitical' and 'clearly and transparently regulated by law'. The SIE 'will not give in to attempts at manipulation and disinformation in the public sphere, as insinuations of possible political involvement are unsubstantiated and intended to generate distrust of state institutions', it added. Nationalist George Simion, who lost the election run-off, went to Romania's constitutional court in a bid to get the result cancelled. He said there had been 'interference', including by France. The court rejected his appeal. The result of a first-round vote in November which another nationalist, Calin Georgescu, led, was cancelled because authorities ruled it had been influenced by Russian interference in the campaign. Georgescu was banned from taking part in the reorganised election won by Dan.
North Wales Chronicle
4 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Populist frontrunner in Romania's cancelled election to step back from politics
Mr Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late on Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Mr Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Mr Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Mr Georgescu's nominal successor. Mr Georgescu said he had made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close'. 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Mr Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Mr Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organisations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Mr Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it was extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Mr Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Mr Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of Nato, the US-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. He sparked controversy for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past as 'a man who loves his country' and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Mr Georgescu became a cause celebre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as US vice president JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticised Romania for annulling the vote. Mr Georgescu has argued the election was 'cancelled illegally and unconstitutionally', and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Mr Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalised,' Mr Georgescu said on Monday, adding that he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people'.
Rhyl Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Populist frontrunner in Romania's cancelled election to step back from politics
Mr Georgescu upended Romania's political landscape last November when he ran as an independent and unexpectedly surged to frontrunner in the first round of the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. 'I choose to be a passive observer of public and social life,' the 63-year-old said in a video posted online late on Monday. 'I choose to remain outside any political party structure … I am not affiliated with any political group in any way.' Despite denying any wrongdoing, Mr Georgescu was barred from the tense election rerun held in May, won by pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan, who was officially sworn in on Monday. Mr Dan, a mathematician and former Bucharest mayor, beat the hard-right nationalist George Simion, who became Mr Georgescu's nominal successor. Mr Georgescu said he had made his decision to take a step back following the conclusion of the presidential race, which for him indicated 'the sovereignist movement has come to a close'. 'Even though this political chapter has ended, I am convinced that the values and ideals we fought for together remain steadfast,' he said. 'My dear ones, I have always said that we would make history, not politics.' The outcome of Mr Georgescu's success in last year's chaotic election cycle sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment. It also left many observers wondering how most local surveys had put him behind at least five other candidates. Despite what appeared to be a sprawling social media campaign promoting him, Mr Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending. A top Romanian court then made the unprecedented move to annul the election after allegations emerged of electoral violations and Russian interference. In February, prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Mr Georgescu, accusing him of incitement to undermine the constitutional order, election campaign funding abuses, and founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic organisations, among other charges. On Tuesday, Mr Georgescu attended a hearing at a prosecutor's office in Bucharest, which said it was extending the criminal investigation against him due to remarks he made on primetime television earlier in May, which could allegedly be interpreted by the public as supporting ideas linked to fascist legionnaire figures from the 1930s and 1940s. Once a member of Mr Simion's hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, Mr Georgescu left the party in 2022 after a period of infighting. He was accused by colleagues of being pro-Russian and critical of Nato, the US-led military alliance to which Romania belongs. He sparked controversy for describing Romanian fascist and nationalist leaders from the 1930s and 1940s as national heroes. He has also praised Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past as 'a man who loves his country' and has questioned Ukraine's statehood, but he claims not to be pro-Russian. After Romania's decision to cancel the election last year, Mr Georgescu became a cause celebre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as US vice president JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk — who both criticised Romania for annulling the vote. Mr Georgescu has argued the election was 'cancelled illegally and unconstitutionally', and after he was barred from the May rerun, he accused the authorities of 'inventing evidence to justify the theft' of the elections. Earlier this year, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bucharest in a show of support for Mr Georgescu, who cemented his status as a persecuted anti-system candidate, railing against a corrupt political class. 'I deeply understand what many of you have gone through: you suffered, you were harassed, humiliated, wronged, and marginalised,' Mr Georgescu said on Monday, adding that he might return to politics 'if a serious opportunity arises that could bring real benefits to Romania and the Romanian people'.
