A top Romanian court has asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election.

Romania's far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu claimed state institutions are undermining the people's vote after winning the first-round election. The Constitutional Court ordered a vote recount amidst warnings of potential cyber attacks by national security bodies.

A top court issued the ruling just days after an ultranationalist outsider unexpectedly won the most votes in the first round of presidential elections held Sunday.

If the court rules the rerun, the first round could be held on Dec. 15 and the run-off could be postponed to Dec. 29. The unexpectedly strong showing of far-right pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu,

Romania’s top court order presidential election recount | REUTERS Romania's top court ordered a recount of votes in the first round of the presidential election and the country's top security body warned Romania was a key target for hostile actions from Russia after a shock result in the ballot.

The National Defense Council (CSAT) in Romania reported cyberattacks targeting the presidential elections on Thursday. One of the candidates received preferential treatment from the social media platform TikTok.

The recount was ordered by Romania's Constitutional Court. Far-right populist Calin Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election and was set to go against centrist Elena Lasconi in a December runoff.