Career Timeline of Nicușor Dan: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Nicușor Dan made an impact.

Nicușor Dan is a Romanian politician currently serving as the Mayor of Bucharest since 2020. Before entering politics, Dan was a prominent mathematician, achieving international recognition with gold medals at the International Mathematical Olympiads in 1987 and 1988. He also holds a PhD from the École normale supérieure in Paris. Prior to his mayoral role, Dan was known as a civic activist, demonstrating his commitment to public service and urban development. His background in mathematics and activism shaped his approach to political leadership in Bucharest.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1998: Completion of PhD and Return to Bucharest

In 1998, Nicușor Dan completed a PhD in mathematics at Paris 13 University and returned to Bucharest.

1998: Founded "Tinerii pentru Acțiune Civică" Association

In 1998, Nicușor Dan founded the Asociația "Tinerii pentru Acțiune Civică" (Young People for Civic Action Association) to gather young people who wanted to change Romania.

1998: PhD from École normale supérieure

In 1998, Nicușor Dan obtained a PhD from the École normale supérieure in Paris.

2000: Organized Forum for Young People

In 2000, the "Tinerii pentru Acțiune Civică" Association organized a forum for young people who studied abroad.

2002: Second Forum for Young People

In 2002, the "Tinerii pentru Acțiune Civică" Association organized a second forum for young people who studied abroad.

2006: Founded "Salvați Bucureștiul" Association

In 2006, Nicușor Dan founded the Asociația "Salvați Bucureștiul" (Save Bucharest Association) to fight against demolition of architectural heritage and diminishing green spaces.

March 2008: Published "Bucharest, an urbanistic disaster" Report

In March 2008, the Asociația "Salvați Bucureștiul" published the "Bucharest, an urbanistic disaster" Report, discussing Bucharest's problems and ways to overcome them.

2009: Changes in Urban Planning Law

In 2009, the "Salvați Bucureștiul" Association was able to push some changes to the urban planning law.

November 2011: Announced Candidacy for Mayor of Bucharest

In November 2011, Nicușor Dan announced his candidacy for Mayor of Bucharest at a café on Arthur Verona Street.

2011: Professor of Mathematics

As of 2011, Nicușor Dan was a professor of mathematics at the Romanian Academy's Institute of Mathematics.

2012: Published list of unkept promises

On April Fools' Day in 2012, Nicușor Dan published a list of 100 electoral promises made by elected mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu which were not kept, including the "Pact for Bucharest".

2015: Launch of Save Bucharest Union

In 2015, Nicușor Dan launched the Save Bucharest Union, focusing on anti-corruption and heritage preservation.

2015: Registered Save Bucharest Union (USB) as a political party

In 2015, Nicușor Dan registered Save Bucharest Union (USB) as a political party.

2016: Co-founded Save Romania Union (USR)

In 2016, Nicușor Dan co-founded the Save Romania Union (USR) and served in the Chamber of Deputies.

2016: Ran for Mayor of Bucharest

In 2016, Nicușor Dan ran for Mayor of Bucharest, gaining 30,52% of the total votes, losing to Gabriela Firea.

2016: Announced Save Bucharest Union Will Change Name

Shortly after the 2016 local election, Nicușor Dan announced that the Save Bucharest Union would change its name to Save Romania Union (USR) and shift its focus to a national stage.

June 2017: Resigned from USR

On June 1, 2017, Nicușor Dan resigned from the Save Romania Union (USR) due to disagreements over the party's stance on a referendum regarding the definition of marriage in the Romanian Constitution.

2017: Resignation from Save Romania Union (USR)

In 2017, Nicușor Dan resigned from the Save Romania Union (USR).

March 2019: Briefly Rejoined USR

In March 2019, Nicușor Dan briefly rejoined USR to provide his signature for their alliance with PLUS, then resigned again.

May 2019: Announced Plans to Run for Mayor Again

In May 2019, Nicușor Dan announced his plans to run for Mayor of Bucharest again as an independent.

October 2020: Confirmed as Mayor of Bucharest

On 5 October 2020, Nicușor Dan's status as the new Mayor of Bucharest was confirmed by the Central Electoral Bureau after winning the elections with 42.81% of the votes.

2020: Elected as Bucharest's first independent mayor

In 2020, Nicușor Dan was elected as Bucharest’s first independent mayor.

2020: Elected Mayor of Bucharest

In 2020, Nicușor Dan was elected as the Mayor of Bucharest.

2020: Previous Election Year Mention

In the text referencing the June 2024 election, there is also a mention of the same runner-up from 2020, Gabriela Firea, who placed second in the 2024 elections.

2021: Political Context Mention

In the text referencing the June 2024 election, there is a mention of Ludovic Orban leaving the PNL party in 2021 after losing the presidency to Florin Cîțu.

June 2024: Participated in mayoral elections for a new term

In June 2024, Nicușor Dan participated as an independent candidate for Mayor of Bucharest, supported by USR, PMP, FD and REPER and won the elections with approximately 48% of the total votes.

2024: Re-election as Mayor

In 2024, Nicușor Dan won re-election as Mayor of Bucharest.

2025: Presidential Election Runoff

In 2025, Nicușor Dan is running as an independent for the Romanian presidential election and will face George Simion in the runoff on 18 May.

2025: Presidential Candidacy Announcement

In December 2024 (following the annulment of the 2024 elections), Nicușor Dan announced his candidacy for the 2025 Romanian presidential election.

2025: Presidential Campaign Positioning

In his 2025 presidential campaign, Nicușor Dan positioned himself as a staunch defender of Western democratic values, supporting NATO's presence in Romania.