The Presidential election in Romania saw the Centrist and pro-EU candidate Nicușor Dan clinching victory by securing over 54% of the vote against his Nationalist rival George Simion’s 46%

 

In Short:

• This election victory signals potential trade benefits for India as it looks forward to securing a free trade deal with the EU and Romania.
• Pro-EU Candidate Nicușor Dan narrowly secures victory in Romania’s presidential election over his nationalist contender, George Simion.
• This positions Romania for greater EU engagement, pushing back against the far-right.

Romania Chooses Nicușor Dan

The outcome of Romania’s 2025 presidential elections, which saw independent reformist Nicușor Dan emerge victorious, marks a turning point not only for the country’s domestic politics but also for its positioning in South-Eastern Europe and its role within the European Union and broader global governance structures. This election sends a ripple of optimism through the region, an affirmation of the European Union’s core democratic values, and a signal that even in volatile political environments, trust in politics can be rebuilt through credible leadership and institutional integrity.

Nicușor Dan’s win signifies a shift from political stagnation and patronage toward a renewed focus on transparency, anti-corruption, and evidence-based governance. This represents more than a change in leadership: it affirms a long-sought societal transition in Romania, one that puts public service and meritocracy over clientelism. The implications are manifold.

Significance for the European Union

Firstly, for the European Union, Nicușor Dan’s victory strengthens internal cohesion. Romania, the 6th largest country by population and 12th Largest Economy in the EU, has often played a peripheral role within the EU’s policy-shaping core due to governance concerns. With Nicușor Dan in office, Bucharest is likely to move closer to France and Germany, reinforcing the bloc’s democratic spine at a time when enlargement and rule-of-law conditionalities are under scrutiny. A more reliable Romania — governed by a technocrat known for discipline, urban planning reform, and civic mobilisation — can act as a stabilising force in Europe’s East, particularly as the EU seeks to manage its evolving relationship with Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans.

Secondly, the election outcome is emblematic of the democratic resilience in Central and Eastern Europe. Amid a wave of illiberalism and political polarisation across the continent, Nicușor Dan’s Romania offers a counterexample: a candidate winning on an anti-corruption, pro-European, and civic reform platform. This restores some measure of trust in the EU’s transformative capacity, both internally and as a normative model for aspiring democracies.

The international ramifications extend beyond Europe. For global partners such as India and other G20 nations exploring deeper commercial and diplomatic ties with Eastern Europe, a Romania led by Nicușor Dan signals increased predictability, stronger adherence to international rules, and potentially more alignment with EU-wide strategies on sustainability, digitalisation, etc. Romania’s re-legitimisation of politics may enhance its attractiveness not only as an export market but also as a development and investment partner committed to transparency and the rule of law.

In a post-election interview with POLITICO, President-elect Nicușor Dan emphasised a diplomatic style rooted in technical cooperation and institutional credibility rather than transactional politics. This repositions Romania in multilateral fora as a serious contributor to shared agendas on democracy, climate action, and digital governance. Importantly, it also empowers civil society voices across the region, many of whom have long felt disillusioned by political inertia. Thus, the election of Nicușor Dan could mark the beginning of a new political cycle for South-Eastern Europe, and perhaps even beyond.

Implications for India 

Nicușor Dan’s election victory offers a positive outlook for India, promising EU stability as it actively pursues a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. This February saw the largest European delegation coming to India to boost cooperation, defence, and trade. The EU is one of India’s largest trading partners, with India holding a trade surplus.

However, this momentum should not be taken for granted. The rise of the far-right in parts of Europe, exemplified by Romanian runner-up George Simion, underscores unresolved issues that could disrupt regional stability. Had Simion won the presidency, Romania might have pivoted away from the EU, potentially complicating India’s efforts to secure its trade deal with both the EU and Romania.

Fortunately, with Nicușor Dan as Romania’s new president, such a geopolitical shift has been averted. His leadership signals continued alignment with the European Union, ensuring Romanian markets remain open and accessible to Indian businesses. Over the years, India maintained a trade surplus with Romania, one that has been steadily rising, from US$89 million in 2019-20 to over US$550 million by 2023-24. India’s exports to Romania have also increased 5 times, from US$316 million in 2019-20 to over US$1780 million by 2023-24. Even during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade volume didn’t go down, which shows how robust India-Romania ties have become.

Nicușor Dan’s victory, combined with Romania’s entry into the Schengen zone last January (2025), is expected to impact Indian students and business professionals positively. With a pro-EU Romania, it means easing up of VISA restrictions for Indians, which can lead to better people-to-people connections. Beyond trade, India has been actively improving cultural ties with Romania by promoting Ayurveda, yoga, and organising events like Namaste India in collaboration with the Tagore Cultural Centre. These are long-term initiatives, and minimal disruptions are expected with Nicușor Dan in power, which would likely not have been the case under Simion.

Looking Forward

George Simion’s near victory highlights the failure of Romania’s mainstream parties to effectively address and counter his far-right narrative. This close call serves as a warning for parties like PSD, PNL, and USR that they need to undergo thorough internal reforms and strengthen their narratives to prevent another Simion from approaching power in the future. Nonetheless, with Nicușor Dan as President of Romania, India can be relieved to have a stable, trustworthy, and pro-EU Partner in the Eastern Balkan region as it goes ahead with a free trade agreement with  EU.

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Adithyan Puthen Veetil is a Research Consultant (International Relations) at Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, Kerala, India, and Teodor Nicula-Golovei is a Romanian Communications Expert with experience in international organisations.

Views expressed by the authors are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.