Huge challenges await new president of divided Romania

"Fear managed to defeat fury" is how one analyst interpreted liberal Nicusor Dan beating hard-right George Simion to the presidency.

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That's what Romanians just voted for: a softly-spoken, slightly geeky mathematician who everyone refers to by his first name, Nicusor – or Nicky.

On Monday, hours after claiming victory in the elections, the new president picked up his daughter from school as usual. He's promised his children nothing will change.

But for Romania things looked very different this morning.

Nicusor Dan has been mayor of Bucharest since 2020 but until now he was little known beyond the capital. That's why his election is widely seen as an act of protest against the old political guard who have governed Romania for over three decades.