New Romanian President Nicușor Dan and his love for maths

Romania’s newly elected president, Nicușor Dan, is not just a considered reform-minded leader and civic activist, he is also a former International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) gold medallist, who once brought his country global acclaim in numbers long before politics.Dan, 55, who won the runoff election on Sunday with 54% of the vote, was part of the Romanian team that secured perfect scores in back-to-back IMO competitions in 1987 and 1988, each time achieving 42 out of 42 points and ranking first globally.Born in Brașov County, Transylvania, Dan’s early brilliance in mathematics was evident when he competed in the IMO as a teenager and swept all problems with full marks. His flawless performance earned him international praise and a gold medal.

He later pursued mathematics at the University of Bucharest and completed his PhD in France before returning home to engage in civic activism.On Sunday evening, thousands gathered in Bucharest as the final results were announced, chanting “Nicușor!” and waving Romanian and EU flags. In his victory speech, Dan called the outcome “a moment of hope.” “In today’s elections, a community of Romanians who want a profound change in Romania won,” he told supporters in a city park.

Dan defeated nationalist George Simion, who led in the May 4 first round but lost momentum amid concerns over his isolationist and far-right rhetoric. According to final data, Dan picked up nearly 900,000 more votes than Simion in the second round, with 64% of eligible voters turning out, a significant rise from the previous round.

As per AP, the result marked a political shift for Romania, affirming a pro-European and reform-oriented direction.Dan’s background in mathematics has often defined his leadership style, reserved, data-driven, and methodical. Known for modernising Bucharest’s heating systems and sports facilities during his term as mayor, he also led the capital out of bankruptcy. Though criticised for poor communication, political analyst Sorin Cucerai revealed that, “He is more the managerial, administrative type but he is a very decent, honest guy.”His pro-Western stance was central to his campaign. He pledged support for Ukraine and fiscal reform, rejecting Simion’s vision of a Romania pulled away from the European Union. After his win, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on X, “They have chosen the promise of an open, prosperous Romania in a strong Europe.”Dan’s first major task as president will be to nominate a new prime minister, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu. Despite a politically divided electorate, Dan struck a note of unity on Sunday night: “Our full respect for those who had a different choice today,” he said, according to AP. “We have a Romania to build together.”