Romania Dodged the Far-Right President. Now It Needs to Save Its Economy
Ben Costantini, a French entrepreneur focused on European tech growth, says Western investors express interest in Central and Eastern European startups but too often don’t follow through with action. He believes there’s untapped potential in connecting innovative startups with traditional industries and improving access to markets and clients through better-designed business exhibitions. Costantini argues that such efforts could help bridge the persistent gap between Western capital and the CEE innovation ecosystem.
On May 18th, 2025, Romanian voters elected Nicușor Dan as President, the pro-Western mayor of Bucharest, in arguably the country’s most consequential election in decades. He defeated far-right challenger George Simion by 829,643 votes.
On his journey, Simion aligned himself with extremist politician Călin Georgescu, whose rhetoric includes denying Ukraine’s legitimacy and opposing NATO troop presence in Romania.
Simion himself pledged to uphold the defense cooperation with the US, including promising to keep the American-controlled radar facility in Romania, but also promised to reinstate Georgescu, dubbed “President-elect of 2024” after a court annulled those elections in December, due to foreign interference.
Now, having secured its pro-European stance for the foreseeable future, the country is in for the next marathon. The new president will have to rebuild political leadership and stabilize the EU’s worst public finances.
In this article, we’ve partnered with seasoned Romanian tech journalist Elena Vrabie to examine the hurdles Dan will have to face and what his victory means for the future of Romania’s startup ecosystem, business climate, and economy. We also take a closer look at what was at stake in the election and the political context that brought the country to the brink of voting against its interests.
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