BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — The pro-European Union candidate in Romania’s critical presidential runoff has won the closely watched race against a hard-right nationalist, nearly complete electoral data shows, in a tense election rerun that many viewed as a geopolitical choice between East or West.
The race pitted front-runner George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, against incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. It was held months after the cancellation of the previous election plunged Romania into its worst political crisis in decades.
After 10.5 million of 11.6 million votes had been counted, Dan was ahead with 54.32%, while votes for Simion stood at 45.68%, according to official data.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — The pro-European Union candidate in Romania’s tense presidential runoff has taken a clear lead in the polls, nearly complete electoral data shows, in a closely-watched vote against a hard-right nationalist that could determine the geopolitical direction of the NATO member country.
