Romania's Constitutional Court refuses to annul results, confirms Nicusor Dan as winner

Romania's Constitutional Court announced Thursday that it rejected an appeal filed this week by nationalist candidate George Simion following his defeat in Sunday's presidential election, which was won by pro-European Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan.

Simion appealed to the court to annul the elections alleging "outside interference."

Sunday's elections were held five months after the Constitutional Court annulled the December polls overallegations of Russian interference.

After deliberation, the court "unanimously rejected the request to annul the elections as unfounded," the court said in a statement.

The candidate denounced the court as perpetuating "its coup d'état," in a Facebook post.

"The only thing left for us is to fight! I invite you to join me today and in the coming weeks," he added.

Simion, a nationalist politician who declares himself an admirer of Donald Trump, won the first round of the elections on May 4, but lost the ballot on Sunday with 46.4% of the vote, compared to 53.6% for Dan.

These elections are key to the future of the country, which is a member of the EU and NATO and shares a border with Ukraine.

Dan advocates maintaining the military support Romania gives to Ukraine in its fight against Russian encroachment.

Simion on Sunday night congratulated his rival, but on Tuesday appealed to the court denouncing "external interference" from France and Romania.