Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan's decision to attend a string of debates last week shunned by his hard-right rival appeared to pay off on Sunday when the pro-European Union centrist emerged victorious in the country's presidential run-off election.

Romania’s pro-European Union presidential candidate Nicușor Dan won the country’s presidential election Sunday, defeating his ultranationalist rival.

BUCHAREST, Romania — The pro-European Union candidate in Romania’s tense presidential runoff has taken a lead in the polls, preliminary electoral data shows, in a closely-watched vote against a hard-right nationalist that could determine the geopolitical direction of the NATO member country.