Romania at a Crossroads: Assessing the Results and Impact of the 2025 Presidential Elections

On 18 May 2025, Romania held a pivotal presidential runoff between George Simion, leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), and Nicușor Dan, the pro-European independent and mayor of Bucharest. This election followed the annulment of the 2024 vote due to allegations of foreign interference, leading to heightened political tension and public scrutiny. Simion’s first-round victory, securing approximately 41% of the vote, has raised concerns about Romania’s future alignment with the EU and NATO, given his nationalist rhetoric and scepticism towards European integration. In the run-off election on 18 May, Nicușor Dan won the election and is poised to take the Romanian presidency, on a platform emphasising democratic values, anti-corruption, and continued cooperation with Western partners. This IIEA webinar explores the implications of the election outcome for Romania’s domestic political landscape, foreign policy, and role within the EU. The discussion features Professor Cristian Preda and Dr. Claudia Bădulescu and was moderated by Dr. Barry Colfer. Speaker bios: Professor Cristian Preda is a professor of political science at the University of Bucharest and served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2019. He was presidential adviser to President Emil Constantinescu (1999–2000) and President Traian Băsescu (2007–2009) and also served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007. Dr Claudia Bădulescu is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for European Studies (IEE) and the Centre for the Study of Politics (CEVIPOL) at Université Libre de Bruxelles. She holds a PhD from the European University Institute and specialises in democracy, autocratisation, and EU neighbourhood policy.