Romanian NGO leader and former candidate to Bucharest mayor’s office to launch political party

Romanian Nicusor Dan, the president of the Save Bucharest Association (Asociatia Salvati Bucurestiul), has submitted the paperwork to register a new political party, according to an announcement he made on Facebook. The party will be called the Save Bucharest Union (Uniunea Salvati Bucurestiul). A former mathematics Olympic, teacher and university director, Nicusor Dan turned to civic activism in 2006, when he launched the Save Bucharest Association. The NGO has been fighting to prevent the demolition of architectural heritage houses and the building of high-rise buildings in protected Bucharest neighborhoods, and stop the diminishing number of green space areas in Bucharest. He became a well-known public figure in 2012, when he ran for Bucharest’s mayor office as an independent candidate. He got 9% of the votes, losing the elections to current mayor Sorin Oprescu. Nicusor Dan announced in 2014 that he would set up a political party together with his supporters, aiming to win the 2016 local elections in Bucharest. New boulevard segment opens in Bucharest after NGOs fight losing battle over demolition of historic buildings editor@romania-insider.com