LIBERAL MAYOR NICUŞOR DAN DEFEATS NATIONALIST RIVAL TO WIN ROMANIAN PRESIDENCY .

Nicușor Dan, the liberal and pro-European mayor of Bucharest, has won Romania's presidential election, defeating far-right nationalist George Simion with 53.6% of the vote. 

Dan's campaign focused on fighting corruption and maintaining close ties with the West.

Simion, who is the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians party, ran on an anti-EU platform and called for ending Romanian support for Ukraine. 

Despite his loss, Simion's strong first-round performance suggests his nationalist message resonates with a significant portion of the population.

Dan, whose victory is seen as a reaffirmation of Romania's pro-European course, although he would face the challenge of uniting a polarized country and restoring trust in democratic institutions, has been congratulated by international leaders, including Moldova's President Maia Sandu and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.