Politico outlines an admiring portrait of Nicușor Dan, presenting him as „the Romanian mathematician trying to stop the destruction of the West by Putin and Trump.”
The Mayor of Bucharest and presidential candidate is described as a calculated politician, a fighter against corruption, and a hope for the West to keep Romania on a pro-European trajectory.
The publication emphasizes that Dan criticizes Trump for being too lenient towards Putin and believes that Elon Musk and JD Vance do not fully understand Romania's electoral crisis.
Nicușor Dan takes his time when speaking, weighing every word as if the future of civilization could depend on it. But perhaps he is the West's best hope to keep Romania, writes Politico.
"There are people who say that any alternative is better than the current system"
The cited source writes that the 55-year-old mayor, known for his fight against corruption, is running for the presidency of the sixth most populous country in the European Union, a competition that has already triggered a constitutional crisis - and cries of outrage from important figures in the administration of US President Donald Trump.
The publication notes that the presidential elections in Romania were canceled in December after accusations of Russian interference and dubious financing, which propelled pro-Moscow extremist Călin Georgescu, and adds that JD Vance and Elon Musk have denounced his exclusion as an attack on European democracy.
Dan chooses not to respond harshly to American interventions, which he attributes to ignorance, notes the source.
"It does not look good for Romania's image, and I think we need to clarify everything," says Dan, when asked if American criticisms are harmful.
"They are free to express their opinions. I believe Romanians are much more interested in what candidates say about Romania's future," adds Nicușor Dan in the interview for Politico.
The cited source writes that according to a recent major poll conducted this month, Nicușor Dan has a high chance of winning the presidency if he reaches the second round on May 18.
It specifies that a competition remains open as George Simion is poised to take the majority of Georgescu's votes and seems likely to win the first round of elections.
A victory for Simion would have a huge impact on EU politics, Politico appreciates, describing him as a new disruptor in the style of Viktor Orbán, which would amplify the influence of nationalism in European politics.
The Mayor of Bucharest believes that Romania is going through a moment of deep social discontent.
"I think there is a large mass of people who realize and express that things cannot continue the same way... there are people who say that any alternative is better than the current system," explained Dan when asked about the rise of the far right in Romania.
"A philosophy enthusiast, with a curly hair tuft"
Politico writes about Nicușor Dan as a talented mathematician, a philosophy enthusiast, with a curly hair tuft, who still retains the slightly disconnected air of his academic past.
It is a stark contrast with Georgescu, who appeared in TikTok videos riding a horse, wearing traditional clothes, and boasting that he does not need a party because his party is Romania, notes the cited source.
Nicușor Dan: We must stand together in this clash of civilizations
In the interview, Nicușor Dan also referred to the situation in Ukraine, towards which he expressed support, and maintaining Romania's alliances with the West is a priority.
"The United States and Europe are part of the same civilization model, which is in contradiction with other civilization models," he says.
"So we must stand together in this clash of civilizations."
Nicușor Dan, however, asks Trump to balance his approach in negotiations, appreciating that he is too lenient with Vladimir Putin.
"Looking at the US administration's response, we have seen a lot of pressure on the Ukrainian side, but we have not seen similar pressure on the Russian side. If you are the US administration and want to pressure Russia, you can talk about financial sanctions, you can talk about the price of oil and all these things, and we haven't seen that."
Regarding the first round of voting in November 2024, Nicușor Dan says it was "a big failure" of the state institutions responsible for safeguarding democracy.
D.D.