The European Union’s sixth most populous country is grappling with a pressing question: how did an unknown far-right leader, running without the backing of any political party, manage to win the first round of the presidential elections?

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest The final results of the November 24 presidential election first round in Romania confirmed that far-right, pro-Russian independent candidate Călin Georgescu was the winner with 22.

Reformist Elena Lasconi (USR) and far-right independent Călin Georgescu, both of which upended the Romanian political scene by besting the candidates of the largest parties to make it in the second round of the presidential elections,

In Romania, the far-right nationalist Călin Georgescu shocked pollsters as he gathered the highest number of votes — around 23% — in the country’s presidential election, knocking Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu out of the race.

Hard-right Călin Georgescu comes from nowhere to snatch victory as liberal Elena Lasconi claims second place ahead of seismic Dec. 8 runoff.

A far-right, pro-Putin candidate just secured the most votes in the first round of Romania’s presidential election. It means the populist Călin Georgescu is in with a chance of becoming the new president of the eastern European country – and Romania’s support for Ukraine could therefore be in jeopardy.

The pro-Russian nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu had racked up a definitive 350,000 vote lead in an upset in Romania's presidential election as counting in the first round wound to a finish Monday.

A Russia-supporting vaccine skeptic who praises his country’s WWII fascist leaders won a shock first-round victory in Romania’s presidential election.

The judo-loving TikTok campaigner won most votes in the first round of the presidential election. Here’s what it means.