Bucharest elected a liberal mayor in Sunday’s local election, with Ciprian Ciucu, a close ally of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, winning 35.4% of votes in preliminary results.
Anca Alexandrescu of the right-wing Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR) finished second with 22.35%, while leftist Social Democrat Daniel Băluță trailed behind.
Voter turnout was low during the morning hours, with 17 candidates competing for the post.
The election comes after Romania’s canceled presidential vote last year, which exposed vulnerabilities to foreign interference and heightened political tensions. Ciucu pledged to support government reforms from his new position.
