Mayor election in Bucharest: An unexpected, clear victory with a bitter aftertaste

With a serious yet relieved expression, Bucharest's future mayor, Ciprian Ciucu, appeared before the press on Sunday evening after the polls closed at 9 p.m. He presented himself as the winner, but at the same time found words of humility. He said he wanted to prove to those who had not voted for him that the right person has been chosen. The election was seen as an important test of sentiment for the national governing parties. The Bucharest election was one of 14 municipal elections in Romania on December 7. The election campaign in Bucharest dominated national news coverage—not unusual, given that two mayors of the capital have been elected president since the beginning of democratization in 1989. An early by-election had become necessary in the capital after Nicușor Dan, the previous mayor, had to leave office at the end of May when he was elected president.