Mr Simion had been the favourite to win but lost to pro-EU candidate Nicusor Dan in the final vote over the weekend.

Defeating populists never signals an easy return to the status quo ante.

There was a wave of euphoria and relief across Europe following the election of pro-European liberal Nicusor Dan as Romania’s new president. Moldovan President Maia Sandu echoed the sentiment: “Congratulations,

Romania’s finance chief said a new government will need to move quickly to fix state finances even after the election of Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan as president helped soothe market turmoil that’s engulfed the Black Sea nation.

Sunday’s presidential election in Romania could have significant implications for NATO and the European Union if the ultranationalist candidate wins.

When Romania's presidential election was annulled late last year after claims of Russian interference, a far-right conspiracy theorist was blocked from the top job.Many Romanians were deeply relieved;

MP from the opposition party "Alliance for the Unification of Romanians" (AUR) Dan Tanase said today, May 20, in parliament that the party led by ex-presidential candidate George Simion will not participate in parliamentary consultations with President-elect Nikushor Dan.

By Luiza Ilie, Libby George and Gergely Szakacs BUCHAREST/LONDON (Reuters) -Romanian centrist Nicusor Dan may have defied the odds to win the presidency, but now he faces an even more daunting task: forming a government that can implement years of painful austerity - and revenue-raising measures - to tame Europe's widest fiscal deficit.