The Romanian mathematician trying to stop Putin and Trump wrecking the West
Investigations are ongoing into what exactly happened during the first round of voting in Romania last year, which Dan describes as “a big fail” by the state institutions responsible for safeguarding democracy. He is frustrated that the authorities have still not given a full account of what happened, leaving room for conspiracies.
During the Cold War, under Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu’s regime, the country kept its distance from Moscow’s rule, remaining skeptical of the Soviet empire and at the same time maintaining links with the West. That history won’t be lost on Putin, and isn’t on Dan either.
During the Cold War, under Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu’s regime, the country kept its distance from Moscow’s rule. | Steve Burton/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“In Romania we have strong memories of what Russia means,” Dan says. “I think the Russian regime and Mr Putin tried to destabilize the democratic system in Romania, also in the rest of this part of Europe. This is part of his hybrid war he is doing against Europe.”
Putin’s agents are alleged to have mounted a huge operation in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to sway last year’s presidential election in neighboring Moldova. If Russian election interference is confirmed in Romania, it will be a “good opportunity” to educate Romanians about the dangers of disinformation, and how malign actors can hijack social media to destabilize societies, Dan believes.
He characterizes Simion, the 38-year-old far-right AUR party leader, as favorable to Russia and a challenge to Romania’s pro-Western outlook. Dan’s other main rival, he says, is Crin Antonescu, a former president who he says represents the unpopular political establishment.
Dan made his name fighting corruption and restoring credibility to the administration of Romania’s capital city.
