Romania's presidential and parliamentary elections saw a strong showing for far-right politicians critical of military support for Ukraine. Anti-NATO and Russia-admiring independent candidate Calin Georgescu came in first during the initial round of the presidential vote on Nov.

Romania’s top court validated the outcome of a key presidential vote, approving the candidacy of a pro-Russian candidate for a runoff with high geopolitical stakes for the nation on NATO’s eastern flank.

Far-right political outsider Calin Georgescu's surprise success has raised fears in the West that it could herald a shift in the foreign policy of the NATO country bordering Ukraine.

BUCHAREST/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Calin Georgescu, who has stunned Romania and its European allies by leading the first round of the eastern European country's presidential election, is a far-right, self-styled outsider critical of NATO and of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Romania’s political scene has introduced Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right populist, who surprised the nation by leading the first round of the presidential election with 22.95 per cent of the vote.

Pro-Western parties have won the most votes in Romania’s parliamentary election and will look to form a coalition government as the European Union country faces a surge of support for far-right nation

Romanian centrist and leftist parties looked to have fended off a surge by the nationalist right in Sunday's parliamentary election, as attention turned to a top court ruling later on Monday on whether to annul the results of a presidential vote.

The leftist Social Democratic Party topped the polls in Sunday's vote and the far-right nationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians came in second.

Romanians cast ballots Sunday in a parliamentary election sandwiched between a two-round presidential race, the first of which has plunged the European Union and NATO member into unprecedented turmoil following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference.

Romanians vote in a parliamentary election on Sunday in which the far right is expected to gain from uncertainty over whether the shock result in a presidential election will stand. Days after far-right politician Calin Georgescu won most votes in the presidential election first round,