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George Simion Challenges Romanian Presidential Election Results, Alleges Foreign Interference
Romanian nationalist George Simion has contested the presidential election results, alleging foreign interference after losing to pro-EU candidate Nicușor Dan.
George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), delivers an election night speech in front of the Parliament building in Bucharest, Romania, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. Nicusor Dan, the centrist mayor of Bucharest, took a lead in Romania's presidential election, potentially quashing the ambitions of Simion, a far-right Donald Trump loyalist, as authorities recorded the biggest turnout in a quarter century. Photographer: Alexandra Corcode/Bloomberg via Getty Images
George Simion, the nationalist candidate who lost Romania’s presidential election, announced on Tuesday, May 20, that he has formally requested the Constitutional Court to annul the vote, alleging foreign interference in the electoral process. The move comes after Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan, a pro-European Union centrist, won nearly 54% of the vote, defeating Simion, the far-right AUR party leader and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Simion had initially conceded defeat after Sunday’s vote, congratulating Dan following the release of official results. However, in a reversal posted Tuesday on social media platform X, he called the election a “farce” and accused “external interferences by state and non-state actors,” tagging the national flags of France and Moldova. “Neither those countries nor anyone else has the right to interfere in the elections of another state,” Simion wrote.
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Despite his concession earlier in the week, Simion claimed he accepted the outcome “considering the figures from the polling stations,” but added, “I never want to see bloodshed in our country that would justify chaos.” He reiterated allegations of electoral fraud, though he provided no supporting evidence.
Supporters of Simion have echoed claims of a rigged election online, blaming “the system” for what they call a stolen victory. Meanwhile, France's foreign intelligence service on Monday denied accusations made by Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who alleged its chief had sought a ban on pro-conservative Romanian accounts ahead of the vote.
This election followed a controversial annulment last year by Romania’s Constitutional Court, which cited Russian interference and heavy social media backing of the far-right frontrunner. That candidate was barred from running again, sparking mass protests and drawing criticism from top U.S. officials.
In the current race, both Dan, 55, and Simion, 38, positioned themselves as agents of change in a country plagued by public distrust in its political class. Dan, an independent, ran on a pro-Brussels platform advocating for an “honest” Romania, while Simion campaigned against EU policies and vowed to halt aid to neighboring Ukraine.
Turnout reached nearly 65% in Sunday’s vote—a significant rise from the 53% recorded in the first round on May 4, in which Simion led the field. The election controversy has fueled political instability and heightened economic uncertainty in Romania, the EU’s most indebted member state, already grappling with high inflation.
