In a video address posted online, Calin Georgescu said he had made a personal choice to become a mere "observer of public and social life" and devote more time and energy to his family.
In his address to lawmakers following the oath, Romanian President Nicusor Dan thanked citizens for their engagement in recent political debates, regardless of their stance.
Days before, George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), appealed the results despite conceding defeat to pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan on May 18.
"First, to have a big operational support on Romanian territory, yes. To be part of the armies guaranteeing peace in Ukraine, no," Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan told Politico.
"I officially ask the Constitutional Court to annul the Romanian presidential elections for the same reasons the December elections were annulled: external interferences by state and non-state actors," George Simion wrote on X.
There was a wave of euphoria and relief across Europe following the election of pro-European liberal Nicusor Dan as Romania’s new president. “For Ukraine — as a neighbour and friend — it is important to have Romania as a reliable partner. And we are confident we will,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky
"We are deeply grateful for Romania’s contribution to protecting the lives of our people. It is important that support for Ukraine continues," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Durov, a Russian-born founder of the Telegram messaging app who also holds French citizenship, claimed that a "Western European government" requested the company to "silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today's presidential elections."
In an anxiously watched race, Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan won the presidency against the far-right candidate George Simion, who is banned from entering both Ukraine and Moldova due to his extremist views.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include information from Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR). Poland and Romania — key NATO allies bordering Ukraine — are holding presidential elections on May 18, with both votes unfolding under the shadow of Russian interference and rising far-right influence. The simultaneous elections are being
Editor's note: this article was updated on May 16 with the latest polling data. Just days before the Romanian presidential election runoff, the two presidential hopefuls are neck-and-neck in the polls. Polling by AtlasIntel, released on May 13, showed far-right George Simion and liberal pro-EU Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan were
George Simion, leader of Romania's far-right AUR party, who won the first round of the presidential election with nearly 40% of the vote, reiterated that if elected, he would oppose any further assistance to Ukraine and shift Romania’s focus inward.
Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion, head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), received nearly 41% of the votes. Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote, and the candidate from the ruling coalition, Crin Antonescu, obtained 20.13%.
Far-right Eurosceptic candidate George Simion is projected to win the first round of Romania’s presidential election on May 4, gaining nearly 40% of the votes with a majority of polling stations reporting.
The vote follows the annulment of the previous first round held in November 2024, when Romania's Constitutional Court invalidated the outcome due to evidence of social media manipulation and foreign interference.
"I appreciate what the Romanian state has done so far, the direction... was correct and must continue."
Two Romanian diplomats were ordered to leave Russia on April 9 in response to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Romania in March.
"There has been a policy of favoring Ukrainian grain in terms of access to port facilities in recent years, at the detriment of Romanian grain, and Romanian farmers were greatly affected by it," Romanian presidential candidate Victor Ponta said.
Romania and Bulgaria are wary of a possible deal between the U.S. and Russia that could restore Moscow's influence in the Black Sea, the Financial Times reported on March 24, citing undisclosed officials from the region.
Protests erupted in downtown Bucharest following the Central Electoral Bureau's decision to ban Russian-backed far-right politician Calin Georgescu from running in the upcoming re-run presidential elections. Georgescu, who is openly supported by the Russian and the U.S. administrations, said this was a "direct hit against democracy." Following the announcement
Romania's electoral bureau has disqualified far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from running in the presidential election re-run, multiple Romanian channels announced on March 9.
Romania said on March 5 that it had expelled Russian military attache Victor Makovskiy and his deputy, Evgeny Ignatiev, for breaching diplomatic rules of conduct.
Romanian prosecutors requested the temporary arrest of 21 individuals linked to far-right leader Calin Georgescu on Feb. 28, days after his detention, Reuters reported.
The Romanian Prosecutor General's office has charged pro-Russian Calin Georgescu with "incitement to actions against the constitutional order" and other alleged crimes related to the Nov. 24 first-round elections.
The move comes after multiple incidents in which Russian drones crashed onto Romanian territory during attacks against neighboring Ukraine.
Far-right opposition parties submitted an initiative to the Romanian parliament to impeach the president, as Klaus Iohannis remained in office longer than the prescribed term after the results of the country's first round of presidential election had been annulled.
"If we compare January with July last year, we see a 45% decrease," State Border Guard spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said.
"I was talking about a very simple thing, by the way. We have to learn from our historical experience. The world is changing," Romanian far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu said.
Georgescu's comments, made in a Jan. 29 interview, were dismissed by Ukraine as revisionist and contrary to international norms, the U.N. Charter, and democratic values.
"On 100% it will happen," Calin Georgescu said in the interview with journalist Ion Cristoiu about redrawing Ukraine's borders as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, suggesting Romania could claim some of Ukraine's regions.
Romania's Defense Ministry confirmed on Jan. 17 that it had found Russian drone fragments in two communities situated on the Romania-Ukraine border.
Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa said that 4,651 vessels arrived in Ukraine, while 4,410 departed for other ports, enabling the export of over 74.4 million tons of cargo, including agricultural products.
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