Romania's new president is sworn in as a political crisis eases, but challenges loom

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s newly elected president Nicusor Dan was officially sworn in on Monday, ushering in a tentative close to the worst political crisis to grip the European Union country in decades after the annulment of the previous election. But multiple challenges lie ahead.

Dan, a 55-year-old mathematician and former mayor of the capital, Bucharest, decisively won the tense rerun in a runoff on May 18, beating his hard-right opponent George Simion, who later challenged the results at a top court, but was rejected last week.

At the inauguration ceremony in a joint session of Parliament, Dan signed the constitutional oath. In a speech afterward, he promised to tackle Romania's economic woes and to be a president "open to the voice of society.”

“The Romanian state needs a fundamental change ... and I invite you to continue to be involved with all the social force you have proven, to put positive pressure on the institutions of the Romanian state so that they can reform,” he said. “I assure you that I will be a president who listens to the voice of society and who is a partner to that society.”

The May election redo was held months after the Constitutional Court voided the previous election in which the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu led the first round, following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow has denied.

The court’s unprecedented decision last year plunged Romania, which is a member of NATO as well as the EU, into a period of unprecedented political turmoil.

The presidential role carries a five-year term and significant decision-making powers in national security and foreign policy.

In the presidential election rerun, Dan ran independently on an “Honest Romania” ticket, reaffirming Western ties, continued support for Ukraine, and fiscal reforms. Addressing the economic challenges that lie ahead, Dan said Monday that “put simply ... the Romanian state is spending more than it can afford.”

“It is in the national interest for Romania to send a message of stability to financial markets,” he said. “It is in the national interest to send a signal of openness and predictability to the investment environment.”

Many observers viewed the election outcome as crucial to maintaining Romania’s place within Western alliances, especially as the war continues in neighboring Ukraine. At the same time, the continent scrambles to arm itself as the United States’ commitment to European partners has waned under US President Donald Trump.

As Dan begins his mandate, he faces the immediate challenge of nominating a prime minister who can garner the support necessary to form a government, a tall order in a country where a rejection of the political class led to the emergence of figures like Georgescu and Simion.

Dan will also have to contend with a string of other crises, such as a large budget deficit, deep societal divisions exposed by the chaotic election cycle, and the war that drags on next door.

Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, says that forming a new cabinet will be “a major test” that will indicate whether Dan can is capable of mediating between the fragmented political parties.

“Dan will face fierce resistance from the state apparatus and old politicians in his pursuit to start reforms,” he told The Associated Press. “Although the economic crisis is urgent, the political and societal divisions are those that the new president has to address in the longer term."

He added that, with populism growing in popularity, a deeper political crisis was "put on hold and a new one will be in the making” ahead of future elections. “The success of his presidency will decide if we can avert such a crisis or not,” he said.

A day after he won the presidency, Dan had a call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, in which he conveyed to Rutte that Romania “will remain a steadfast ally” within the alliance.

Dan first rose to public prominence as a civil activist with his Save Bucharest Association, tasked with saving built heritage and fighting against illegal real estate projects in a system he described as a “real estate mafia.” He won hundreds of lawsuits. He also joined a wave of anti-corruption protests that gripped Romania through the mid-2010s.

In 2016, he founded the reformist Save Romania Union party — at the time largely viewed as an anti-corruption party — but later left. In 2020, he successfully secured the mayorship of Bucharest and was elected last year for a second term.

As mayor, Dan tackled some key infrastructure projects, such as modernizing Bucharest’s ailing residential heating systems, which previous mayors have been accused of neglecting.

Romania's newly elected president Nicusor Dan arrives at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace to attend a welcoming ceremony, after being sworn in at the parliament, in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Romania's newly elected president Nicusor Dan reviews the honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, after being sworn in at the parliament, in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Romania’s newly elected president Nicusor Dan takes the oath as he is sworn in, at the parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Romania’s newly elected president Nicusor Dan makes the sign of the cross as Patriarch Daniel, the head of Romania's orthodox church, finishes reading a blessing during a swearing in ceremony for the country's new president at the parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Romania's newly elected president Nicusor Dan reviews the honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, after being sworn in at the parliament, in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Romanian President Nicusor Dan smiles after taking the oath as the country's new president at the parliament in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Romanian President elect Nicusor Dan, front center, stands at the Constitutional Court during the ceremony for validation of his presidential mandate, after winning the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Romanian President elect Nicusor Dan, front center, stands at the Constitutional Court during the ceremony for validation of his presidential mandate, after winning the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)