In an election marked by Romania’s highest voter turnout in 25 years, Nicușor Dan — a quiet, methodical mathematician turned anti-corruption crusader — has been elected president with 54% of the vote. A pro-European centrist educated at the Sorbonne, Dan rose from civic activism to national prominence through a dogged fight against unchecked urban development and graft in Bucharest.
Known for his calm demeanour and daily school runs with his daughter, Dan made his mark as an independent mayor of the capital, focusing on transparency, infrastructure, and rooting out local corruption.
His 2006 founding of “Save Bucharest Association” signalled the start of a public campaign against the city’s real estate mafia, driven by the destruction of architectural heritage and green spaces.
Now, as president, Dan faces his biggest challenge yet: uniting a fractured parliament to resolve the EU’s largest budget deficit and preserve Romania’s investment-grade credit rating.
A staunch supporter of the EU, NATO, and Ukraine, Dan’s unexpected presidential bid marks a dramatic turn in Romanian politics — a mathematician now tasked with solving the country’s most complex equations.