George Simion, a nationalist and vocal supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, has won Romania’s first-round presidential election after capitalizing on widespread anti-establishment sentiment.

George Simion, leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, emerged as the clear frontrunner in Romania ’s presidential election redo, securing 40.5 per cent of the vote with nearly all ballots counted. The vote followed last year’s annulled election marred by allegations of fraud.

Presidential candidate George Simion walks holding a picture of Romanian holy icon of Protection of the Theotokos presented by a supporter outside a polling station during the country's first round of the presidential election,