Local election on December 7
Bucharest and other counties across Romania are hosting local elections this Sunday
Corina Cristea, 05.12.2025, 14:00
Around 2.2 million Romanians with the right to vote will hit the polls on Sunday to decide who will fill several local offices left vacant for various reasons. Deaths, convictions or incompatibilities are some of the causes, while in Bucharest the vacancy stems from former mayor Nicușor Dan winning the presidential election.
Apart from the election in Bucharest, the ballot also includes the presidency of the Buzău County Council (southeast), as well as mayoral mandates in 12 settlements across different counties. A total of 1,771 polling stations have been set up for the December 7 partial local election. Authorities remind voters that they may cast their votes only at the polling station corresponding to their home address, or to their residence address if it was registered at least six months before election day.
The new officials will be elected for mandates of two and a half years, the time remaining until the next scheduled local election, but that does not make the stakes any lower. In smaller counties and towns, electing a mayor or county council president provides legitimacy to local decisions and ensures continuity for administrative projects, such as those related to infrastructure or public services.
In Bucharest, the office of Mayor General is strategic, its holder being regarded as the second most important elected official after the head of state. The mandate can serve as a springboard to national positions, including the presidency, as has happened more than once. The outcome of the capital’s election is also seen as a barometer of public opinion nationwide.
The role is all the more significant given that decisions taken in the capital affect a substantial share of the population. With nearly 2 million registered residents and many more people in daily transit (commuters, students or workers), Bucharest is Romania’s largest city, managing an annual budget worth billions of lei. It is the country’s economic engine, and decisions on infrastructure, urban planning, mobility and the business sector have national impact.
At the same time, Bucharest is Romania’s most visited city, home to embassies, international organizations and regional offices of global companies. Unsurprisingly, the competition is fierce: the official list features 17 candidates. Some have withdrawn in favor of others, better placed in the polls, but their names remain printed on the ballot papers nonetheless. (VP)
