Elon Musk and David Sacks, both White House advisers, weighed in separately on the election in Eastern Europe.

Defeating populists never signals an easy return to the status quo ante.

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.

Romania’s assets staged a relief rally after a centrist candidate defeated his nationalist opponent in the presidential election, with investor focus now shifting to how quickly a new government can fix the state’s finances.

Pro-European Union centrist Nicusor Dan managed an upset in Romania’s presidential election, beating out a hard-right nationalist who had channeled people’s anger at the political establishment to surge in the polls.

A pro-European Union centrist pulled off an upset in Romania's presidential election, beating out a hard-right nationalist who had channeled people's anger at the political establishment to surge in the polls.

Romania's newly elected president Nicusor Dan on Monday faced an uphill task to bring together a deeply divided country after a tense rerun vote, with Brussels and other European allies