Romania heads to the polls on May 4th in a tense presidential vote just 5 months after elections were shockingly enulled and the far-right front runner was barred from running. The fallout from the annulment has sparked widespread protest and has drawn international attention including sharp criticism from US Vice President JD Vance and Trump adviser Elon Musk both slamming the Romanian government over claims of Russia interference and viral social media campaigns that were used to justify cancelling November's results. Watch in for more details!

Romania elections: Trump admirer George Simon favourite to win first round of polls

Far-right Romanian politician Călin Georgescu has been officially barred from contesting the elections after losing his appeal. Georgescu, who won the first round of last year’s presidential vote, was accused of benefiting from Russian interference. As the country prepares for a re-run, he urges his supporters to back another candidate.

Romania bars far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from presidential election run

Romanian far-right leader Georgescu barred from elections amid controversy

In Romania, a criminal investigation has been opened against far-right front-runner Calin Georgescu. Georgescu was the far-right front-runner in last year's presidential election. The criminal probe has been opened over several allegations, including promoting anti-Semitism, hate speech, campaign funding fraud, among others. Watch in for more details!

Protests Erupt As Romania Bars Pro-Russian Presidential Candidate

The ruling by Romania's electoral bureau to exclude the far-right politician Calin Georgescu from the presidential poll in May sparked clashes between his supporters and police in the capital Bucharest. Watch this report for more details!

Chaos in Romania after far-right Calin Georgescu barred from presidential rerun

Romania: Supporters of Georgescu face off with police

Romania: Far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu detained ahead of candidacy submission

Romanian far-right frontrunner Georgescu detained ahead of candidacy submission

Romanian far-right presidential frontrunner Georgescu has been detained by police just ahead of his candidacy submission. A criminal probe is underway, sparking political turmoil. JD Vance and Elon Musk have weighed in on the election dispute, adding to the controversy.

Romanian far-right frontrunner Georgescu detained amid criminal probe

In a shocking heist, four ancient gold artefacts were stolen from a Dutch museum early Saturday morning, museum officials said in a statement.
The robbers used explosives to force open the door of the Dutch museum. Police received the report at 3:45 am local time on Saturday about the explosion at the Drents Museum in Assen.
As the officers arrived, they found the museum damaged and the gold masterpieces were missing.
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The museum was hosting an exhibition of priceless Romanian jewellery made from gold and silver.
The thieves left with three Dacian spiral bracelets and the exhibit's central piece, which was a decorated Helmet of Cotofenesti, crafted almost 2,500 years ago.
Romania's ministry of culture has vowed to take all possible steps to recover the stolen artefacts, which were loaned to the Dutch museum from Bucharest.
<h2>'Intensely shocked'</h2>
Drents Museum director Harry Tupan said staff were "intensely shocked" by the robbery, stressing that it was the biggest incident in its 170-year history.
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"This is a dark day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest," Tupan said.&nbsp;
As the investigation continues, police are carrying out a forensic investigation and reviewing CCTV footage.&nbsp;
They are also investigating a burning vehicle that was found on a nearby road, which they suspect may be linked to the burglary.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/this-museum-gives-experience-of-how-bone-chilling-was-atlantic-when-titanic-drowned-watch-758853" rel="dofollow">This museum gives experience of how 'bone-chilling' was Atlantic when Titanic drowned: Watch</a>
"A possible scenario is that the suspects switched to another vehicle in the vicinity of the fire," a Dutch police statement said.
There have been no arrests made yet. However, the authorities suspect multiple individuals were involved in the burglary.&nbsp;
Moreover, to resolve the case, police have called the global policing agency Interpol to help with the investigation.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/easter-sunday-burglary-thieves-steal-10-million-in-biggest-cash-heist-in-la-on-easter-707781" rel="dofollow">Easter Sunday burglary: Thieves steal $10 million in biggest cash heist in Los Angeles&nbsp;</a>
The museum issued a statement, saying four archaeological masterpieces" were taken, including the Cotofenesti helmet, which dates from around 450 BC, and three ancient Dacian royal bracelets.
Notably, in the late 1990s, 24 bracelets from the same era were dug up by treasure hunters and sold abroad. Later, the Romanian state made efforts for years to get them back from collectors in Austria, Germany, France, the UK and the United States.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The robbers used explosives to force open the door of the Dutch museum. Police received the report at 3:45 am local time on Saturday about the explosion.

In a shocking heist, four ancient gold artefacts were stolen from a Dutch museum early Saturday morning, museum officials said in a statement. The robbers used explosives to force open the door of the Dutch museum. Police received the report at 3:45 am local time on Saturday about the explosion at the Drents Museum in Assen. As the officers arrived, they found the museum damaged and the gold masterpieces were missing. Also read: Dutch museum exhibit with Beyonce raises tempers in Egypt The museum was hosting an exhibition of priceless Romanian jewellery made from gold and silver. The thieves left with three Dacian spiral bracelets and the exhibit's central piece, which was a decorated Helmet of Cotofenesti, crafted almost 2,500 years ago. Romania's ministry of culture has vowed to take all possible steps to recover the stolen artefacts, which were loaned to the Dutch museum from Bucharest. 'Intensely shocked' Drents Museum director Harry Tupan said staff were "intensely shocked" by the robbery, stressing that it was the biggest incident in its 170-year history. Also read: What is keffiyeh headscarf, over which Pulitzer winner Jhumpa Lahiri declined NY Museum award? "This is a dark day for the Drents Museum in Assen and the National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest," Tupan said. As the investigation continues, police are carrying out a forensic investigation and reviewing CCTV footage. They are also investigating a burning vehicle that was found on a nearby road, which they suspect may be linked to the burglary. Also read: This museum gives experience of how 'bone-chilling' was Atlantic when Titanic drowned: Watch "A possible scenario is that the suspects switched to another vehicle in the vicinity of the fire," a Dutch police statement said. There have been no arrests made yet. However, the authorities suspect multiple individuals were involved in the burglary. Moreover, to resolve the case, police have called the global policing agency Interpol to help with the investigation. Also read: Easter Sunday burglary: Thieves steal $10 million in biggest cash heist in Los Angeles The museum issued a statement, saying four archaeological masterpieces" were taken, including the Cotofenesti helmet, which dates from around 450 BC, and three ancient Dacian royal bracelets. Notably, in the late 1990s, 24 bracelets from the same era were dug up by treasure hunters and sold abroad. Later, the Romanian state made efforts for years to get them back from collectors in Austria, Germany, France, the UK and the United States. (With inputs from agencies)

'Biggest incident in 170 years': Thieves blow up Dutch museum door to steal gold 'masterpieces'

Mass protests have erupted in Romania as tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bucharest on Sunday, demanding justice over a presidential election. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis is facing calls to resign, with protesters demanding the immediate rescheduling of the ballot.

Romanian court cancels polls due to Russian interference

In Romania, far-right politician George Simeon has strongly condemned the cancellation of the presidential election, calling it a direct attack on democracy. Standing outside a closed polling station, Simeon accused President Klaus Iohannis of mocking the Constitution and urged him to respect the law. Watch in for more details!

Romania Cancels Presidential Election Over Russian Interference

Romanians on Sunday protested outside a voting station near Bucharest together with far-right presidential frontrunner Calin Georgescu after a top court scrapped the scheduled run-off vote after allegations of Russian interference.

Georgescu unexpectedly topped the first round of voting on November 24 in the NATO and EU member bordering Ukraine.

But the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process as it was "marred... by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation".

The annulment followed a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency this week detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including claims of "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks.

More than 100 people gathered at a polling station near Bucharest on Sunday -- the originally scheduled date of the run-off vote -- shouting "Down with dictatorship", "We want to vote" and "Thieves".

"I am here for democracy, because in my opinion it no longer exists," Adriana Iaercau, a 60-year-old teacher, told AFP.

"We are with him (Georgescu) from the beginning. It was a democratic process. Everything was fine till Friday when they decided to kill the democracy that was brought (to) Romania in 1989" when Communism ended, said Sorin Scuratovschi, a 46-year-old account manager.

Georgescu accused the authorities to have cancelled the elections by fear he would win.

"I'm here in the name of democracy and always will be," Georgescu told reporters outside the closed polling station.

Georgescu -- who has called the cancellation "a formalised coup d'etat" -- said he is contesting the vote cancellation in court, as is another far-right party, AUR, which has also called on its supporters to go to polling stations later Sunday.

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<h2>'Crimes of voter corruption'</h2>

On Saturday, police raided three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery".

Among the houses searched was that of businessman Bogdan Peschir, a TikTok user who according to the declassified documents allegedly paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu, Romanian media reported.

Georgescu on Sunday said he did not know Peschir, who has compared his support for the 62-year-old former civil servant to the world's richest man Elon Musk's backing of US president-elect Donald Trump.

Romania's authorities allege "preferential treatment" of Georgescu on TikTok -- a claim the social media platform has denied.

In the declassified documents they also said Romania was a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions", including cyberattacks.

Georgescu -- a past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin who most recently has reframed himself as "ultra pro-Trump" -- told US broadcaster Sky News on Saturday that there were no links between him and Russia.

Following the vote cancellation -- rare in Europe -- the United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions, while Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has slammed it as "denying the will of the people".&nbsp;

A new government -- to be formed after the ruling Social Democrats won last weekend's legislative elections -- is expected to set a fresh date for the presidential vote.

In the parliamentary election, far-right parties secured an unprecedented third of the ballots on mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in Ukraine.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Romanians on Sunday protested outside a voting station near Bucharest together with far-right presidential frontrunner Calin Georgescu after a top court scrapped the scheduled run-off vote after allegations of Russian interference.

Romanians on Sunday protested outside a voting station near Bucharest together with far-right presidential frontrunner Calin Georgescu after a top court scrapped the scheduled run-off vote after allegations of Russian interference. Georgescu unexpectedly topped the first round of voting on November 24 in the NATO and EU member bordering Ukraine. But the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process as it was "marred... by multiple irregularities and violations of electoral legislation". The annulment followed a spate of intelligence documents declassified by the presidency this week detailing allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including claims of "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks. More than 100 people gathered at a polling station near Bucharest on Sunday -- the originally scheduled date of the run-off vote -- shouting "Down with dictatorship", "We want to vote" and "Thieves". "I am here for democracy, because in my opinion it no longer exists," Adriana Iaercau, a 60-year-old teacher, told AFP. "We are with him (Georgescu) from the beginning. It was a democratic process. Everything was fine till Friday when they decided to kill the democracy that was brought (to) Romania in 1989" when Communism ended, said Sorin Scuratovschi, a 46-year-old account manager. Georgescu accused the authorities to have cancelled the elections by fear he would win. "I'm here in the name of democracy and always will be," Georgescu told reporters outside the closed polling station. Georgescu -- who has called the cancellation "a formalised coup d'etat" -- said he is contesting the vote cancellation in court, as is another far-right party, AUR, which has also called on its supporters to go to polling stations later Sunday. Also read: Biden closely monitoring 'extraordinary events' in Syria, says White House 'Crimes of voter corruption' On Saturday, police raided three houses in Brasov city in central Romania as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery". Among the houses searched was that of businessman Bogdan Peschir, a TikTok user who according to the declassified documents allegedly paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu, Romanian media reported. Georgescu on Sunday said he did not know Peschir, who has compared his support for the 62-year-old former civil servant to the world's richest man Elon Musk's backing of US president-elect Donald Trump. Romania's authorities allege "preferential treatment" of Georgescu on TikTok -- a claim the social media platform has denied. In the declassified documents they also said Romania was a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions", including cyberattacks. Georgescu -- a past admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin who most recently has reframed himself as "ultra pro-Trump" -- told US broadcaster Sky News on Saturday that there were no links between him and Russia. Following the vote cancellation -- rare in Europe -- the United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions, while Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has slammed it as "denying the will of the people". A new government -- to be formed after the ruling Social Democrats won last weekend's legislative elections -- is expected to set a fresh date for the presidential vote. In the parliamentary election, far-right parties secured an unprecedented third of the ballots on mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in Ukraine. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

'Thieves': Romanians demand to vote after scrapped elections

Romanian police raided houses on Saturday linked to a probe into alleged irregularities in the first-round presidential election win of far-right outsider Calin Georgescu, a day after the top court cancelled the imminent run-off.

The annulment comes after a spate of intelligence documents declassified this week by the presidency detailed allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks.

The court's move sent shockwaves across the EU and NATO member states bordering Ukraine and opened the way for a new electoral process to start from scratch while a new government is due to set a date for a fresh vote.&nbsp;

Three houses in Brasov city in central Romania were being searched on Saturday as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery," said a statement from the prosecutor's office.&nbsp;

It said the swoop targeted a person involved in the "illegal financing of the electoral campaign of a candidate for the presidency of Romania, through the use of sums of money," without naming Georgescu.&nbsp;

The prosecutor's office would not name the person at the heart of the operation either.

The investigations also concern the violation of the law on the prohibition of organisations and symbols of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature, the statement added.

<h2>-Declassified documents-</h2>

 
Little-known outsider Georgescu, who unexpectedly topped the first round of voting on November 24, was favourite to win the second round on Sunday against centrist pro-EU contender Elena Lasconi, several polls revealed.&nbsp;

But the documents drawn up for a top security council meeting after the first round of voting "revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace".

One user paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu between October 24 and November 24, according to one of the documents.&nbsp;

Based on those claims, the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process to ensure its "correctness and legality".

The United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions and called for a "peaceful democratic process".

Georgescu, the 62-year-old former civil servant, has fervently campaigned for an end to aid for neighbouring Ukraine on social media platforms, especially on TikTok, a position that sparked concerns over the future direction of the reliable NATO ally.&nbsp;

The EU and NATO sceptic blasted the court ruling as "a formalised coup d'etat" and said democracy was "under attack".

Romania's pro-EU President Klaus Iohannis said he would stay in his post until a new government that emerges from legislative elections last weekend can be formed to set a new presidential election date.

Romania is a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks and hacks and leaks and sabotage", the declassified documents said.

More than 85,000 cyberattacks were identified, according to Romanian authorities.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Romanian police raided houses on Saturday linked to a probe into alleged irregularities in the first-round presidential election win of far-right outsider Calin Georgescu, a day after the top court cancelled the imminent run-off.

Romanian police raided houses on Saturday linked to a probe into alleged irregularities in the first-round presidential election win of far-right outsider Calin Georgescu, a day after the top court cancelled the imminent run-off. The annulment comes after a spate of intelligence documents declassified this week by the presidency detailed allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including "massive" social media promotion and cyberattacks. The court's move sent shockwaves across the EU and NATO member states bordering Ukraine and opened the way for a new electoral process to start from scratch while a new government is due to set a date for a fresh vote. Three houses in Brasov city in central Romania were being searched on Saturday as part of the investigation "in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery," said a statement from the prosecutor's office. It said the swoop targeted a person involved in the "illegal financing of the electoral campaign of a candidate for the presidency of Romania, through the use of sums of money," without naming Georgescu. The prosecutor's office would not name the person at the heart of the operation either. The investigations also concern the violation of the law on the prohibition of organisations and symbols of a fascist, racist or xenophobic nature, the statement added. -Declassified documents- Little-known outsider Georgescu, who unexpectedly topped the first round of voting on November 24, was favourite to win the second round on Sunday against centrist pro-EU contender Elena Lasconi, several polls revealed. But the documents drawn up for a top security council meeting after the first round of voting "revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace". One user paid $381,000 to those involved in the promotion of Georgescu between October 24 and November 24, according to one of the documents. Based on those claims, the constitutional court on Friday unanimously decided to annul the entire electoral process to ensure its "correctness and legality". The United States said it had faith in Romania's institutions and called for a "peaceful democratic process". Georgescu, the 62-year-old former civil servant, has fervently campaigned for an end to aid for neighbouring Ukraine on social media platforms, especially on TikTok, a position that sparked concerns over the future direction of the reliable NATO ally. The EU and NATO sceptic blasted the court ruling as "a formalised coup d'etat" and said democracy was "under attack". Romania's pro-EU President Klaus Iohannis said he would stay in his post until a new government that emerges from legislative elections last weekend can be formed to set a new presidential election date. Romania is a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks and hacks and leaks and sabotage", the declassified documents said. More than 85,000 cyberattacks were identified, according to Romanian authorities. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Romania police raid houses linked to vote probe: Prosecutors

Romania's constitutional court announced on Friday that it had annulled the presidential election following allegations of Russian interference, effectively cancelling the second-round run-off that had been due to take place this weekend.

Romania's constitutional court announced on Friday that it had annulled the presidential election following allegations of Russian interference, effectively cancelling the second-round run-off that had been due to take place this weekend. Romanian authorities had cried foul after far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round of presidential elections on November 24, a surprise result in the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine. On Wednesday, the presidency declassified documents detailing a slew of allegations against Georgescu and Russia, including "massive" social media promotion and cyber-attacks. Also read | France: Macron scrambles to form ‘government of general interest’ after no-confidence vote ousts Barnier The court said it had decided "to annul the entire electoral process for the election of the President of Romania... to ensure the correctness and legality of the electoral process". It said the decision had been unanimous without giving further details. "The government will set a new date for the election of the president of Romania," it added. Georgescu, a former senior civil servant, had been due to face centrist mayor Elena Lasconi in Sunday's runoff. 'Only correct solution' Fears had been rife that if Georgescu won, the country would join the EU's far-right bloc and undermine European unity against Russia. Outgoing Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu welcomed the court's decision in a post on Facebook. It was, he said "the only correct solution after the declassification of the documents... which show that the result of the Romanians' vote was blatantly distorted as a result of Russia's intervention". The documents, drawn up for a security council meeting after the first round of voting, were published late Wednesday. In them, the authorities said data had "revealed an aggressive promotional campaign, in violation of electoral legislation, and an exploitation of algorithms to increase the popularity of Calin Georgescu at an accelerated pace". Last week they slammed "preferential treatment" of Georgescu by TikTok, which the social media platform has denied. A company spokeswoman said on Thursday that TikTok had "no evidence that a coordinated campaign has taken place on our platform to date". The European Commission announced on Thursday that it had stepped up its monitoring of TikTok in the context of Romania's elections. A separate document by intelligence services stated that Romania "is perceived by Moscow's policy centres as an enemy state". Romania is a "target for aggressive Russian hybrid actions, including cyberattacks and hacks and leaks and sabotage", it added. 'Negative impacts' Washington has warned of the "serious negative impacts" if Romania -- whose strategic importance has increased since Russia invaded Ukraine -- turned away from the West. Having praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past, Georgescu, 62, most recently has avoided answering questions about him being pro-Russian. A critic of the EU and NATO, he says he does not want to leave either grouping but wants to put Romania "on the world map". Like his idol US president-elect Donald Trump, he is opposed to military aid to Ukraine. While the president's post is largely ceremonial, the head-of-state has moral authority and influence on Romania's foreign policy. The president also designates the next prime minister -- a key role especially since legislative elections last weekend returned a fragmented parliament. The governing pro-European Social Democrats won the vote, but far-right parties made strong gains, together securing a third of the ballots. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, Romania has never seen such a breakthrough by the far right, fuelled by mounting anger over soaring inflation and fears over Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Romania's top court annuls presidential election results amid Russian meddling claims

Authorities in Romania alleged that there has been a major attempt to interfere in the country's Presidential elections using TikTok. The claim, however, has been denied by the social media platform. The development comes as Romania holds its presidential runoff election on Sunday, a keen vote for the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine.

EU Orders TikTok To Preserve Data On Romania Elections

The presidential election in Romania, which was supposed to proceed to a second round, has been thrown into chaos due to allegations of external influence. The Constitutional Court has called for a re-verification and recount of the votes. The controversy centers around a video shared on the TikTok app, which is believed to be the source of the alleged interference. Following the news breaking on Thursday night, Bucharest has witnessed a wave of public protests. Watch in for more details!

Romania Election: Far-Right Influence Grows In Romania Amid Ukraine War | World News | WION

Romania's ruling Social Democrats (PSD) were set to win Sunday's parliamentary elections while the far right secured big gains, partial results showed, deepening uncertainty in the NATO country rocked by political chaos.

With more than 96 percent of ballots counted, the pro-European PSD -- which has governed with the Liberals until now -- was leading other parties with 23.5 percent of the vote.&nbsp;

However, all the far-right parties combined stood at more than 30 percent, significantly up from the less than 10 percent they received in the previous vote in 2020.

The parliamentary poll comes at a time of political turmoil sparked when a top court ordered a recount of the first round of Romania's November 24 presidential election.

That ballot was won by Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A run-off is slated for December 8.

The far right's surprise success has raised fears in the West that it could potentially herald a shift in the foreign policy of the NATO country and EU member, which borders Ukraine.

But political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu said the vote failed to provide "clear" answers.

"It's really an extraordinarily fragmented parliament, with a lot of risks," he told AFP, as the outcome could make negotiations to form a government difficult.&nbsp;

"It is an important signal that Romanians have sent to the political class," said Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.&nbsp;

Ciolacu said the country should continue on its European path, while stressing that "protecting our identity, national values and faith" was equally important.

Voter turnout reached its highest level in 20 years at more than 52 percent.

- 'Beginning of a new era' - 
Romania's far-right parties -- which oppose sending aid to Ukraine -- welcomed the results.

"Today the Romanian people voted for the pro-sovereignty forces," said George Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, which was on 17.9 percent of the vote.

"It is the beginning of a new era in which the Romanian people reclaim the right to decide their own destiny," he added.

The extreme-right SOS Romania party, led by firebrand Diana Sosoaca, and the recently founded Party of Young People (POT), each had more than five percent of the vote and were expected to enter parliament.

Since the fall of Communism in 1989, the country of 19 million has never seen such a breakthrough by the far right. But anger over soaring inflation and fears of being dragged into Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine have mounted.

"The sharp rise of the far right, (grabbing) up to a third of the votes" mirrors the accumulated frustrations in society as well as "economic discontent", said political commentator Radu Magdin.

But short of allies to govern with, the far right might still end up on the sidelines.&nbsp;

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<h2>Government of 'national unity'&nbsp;</h2>

Faced with a fragmented parliament, several political leaders have said they will try to shore up support for a pro-European "government of national unity". &nbsp;

"United we can do wonders," Elena Lasconi, the leader of the centrist USR -- which had 11.6 percent, according to the partial results -- told supporters.&nbsp;

Lasconi, who placed second in the first round of the presidential ballot, said the political parties should set aside their differences after the recent turmoil to defend "democracy in Romania, staying in the European Union and in NATO".&nbsp;

Earlier on Sunday, some voters like Dorina Burcea had voiced concern that Romania might turn away from its pro-European path.

"As someone who lived a little bit under communism and still remembers it -- and at the same time could enjoy all this openness of the European Union, to be able to go to other countries -- I can't imagine how we could have another option than the EU and NATO," the 41-year-old told AFP.

The parliamentary election took place at a delicate time, with the top court's order to recount the ballots of the first round of the presidential election causing widespread confusion.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats (PSD) were set to win Sunday's parliamentary elections while the far right secured big gains, partial results showed, deepening uncertainty in the NATO country rocked by political chaos.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats (PSD) were set to win Sunday's parliamentary elections while the far right secured big gains, partial results showed, deepening uncertainty in the NATO country rocked by political chaos. With more than 96 percent of ballots counted, the pro-European PSD -- which has governed with the Liberals until now -- was leading other parties with 23.5 percent of the vote. However, all the far-right parties combined stood at more than 30 percent, significantly up from the less than 10 percent they received in the previous vote in 2020. The parliamentary poll comes at a time of political turmoil sparked when a top court ordered a recount of the first round of Romania's November 24 presidential election. That ballot was won by Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin. A run-off is slated for December 8. The far right's surprise success has raised fears in the West that it could potentially herald a shift in the foreign policy of the NATO country and EU member, which borders Ukraine. But political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu said the vote failed to provide "clear" answers. "It's really an extraordinarily fragmented parliament, with a lot of risks," he told AFP, as the outcome could make negotiations to form a government difficult. "It is an important signal that Romanians have sent to the political class," said Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Ciolacu said the country should continue on its European path, while stressing that "protecting our identity, national values and faith" was equally important. Voter turnout reached its highest level in 20 years at more than 52 percent. - 'Beginning of a new era' - Romania's far-right parties -- which oppose sending aid to Ukraine -- welcomed the results. "Today the Romanian people voted for the pro-sovereignty forces," said George Simion, leader of the far-right AUR party, which was on 17.9 percent of the vote. "It is the beginning of a new era in which the Romanian people reclaim the right to decide their own destiny," he added. The extreme-right SOS Romania party, led by firebrand Diana Sosoaca, and the recently founded Party of Young People (POT), each had more than five percent of the vote and were expected to enter parliament. Since the fall of Communism in 1989, the country of 19 million has never seen such a breakthrough by the far right. But anger over soaring inflation and fears of being dragged into Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine have mounted. "The sharp rise of the far right, (grabbing) up to a third of the votes" mirrors the accumulated frustrations in society as well as "economic discontent", said political commentator Radu Magdin. But short of allies to govern with, the far right might still end up on the sidelines. Also read: Trump taps daughter's father-in-law Massad Boulos as his Middle East advisor Government of 'national unity' Faced with a fragmented parliament, several political leaders have said they will try to shore up support for a pro-European "government of national unity". "United we can do wonders," Elena Lasconi, the leader of the centrist USR -- which had 11.6 percent, according to the partial results -- told supporters. Lasconi, who placed second in the first round of the presidential ballot, said the political parties should set aside their differences after the recent turmoil to defend "democracy in Romania, staying in the European Union and in NATO". Earlier on Sunday, some voters like Dorina Burcea had voiced concern that Romania might turn away from its pro-European path. "As someone who lived a little bit under communism and still remembers it -- and at the same time could enjoy all this openness of the European Union, to be able to go to other countries -- I can't imagine how we could have another option than the EU and NATO," the 41-year-old told AFP. The parliamentary election took place at a delicate time, with the top court's order to recount the ballots of the first round of the presidential election causing widespread confusion. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Social Democrats set to win Romania vote, but far right makes big gains

Romania Presidential Elections: Accusations Of Georgescu Using Unfair Means To Sway Outcome

Romania's&nbsp;constitutional&nbsp;court&nbsp;on Thursday ordered a&nbsp;recount&nbsp;of votes cast in the&nbsp;first&nbsp;round&nbsp;of the&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;election after&nbsp;allegations that social media platform TikTok gave "preferential treatment" to the surprise winner, Calin Georgescu.

But the social media platform denied the allegations saying,&nbsp;"It is categorically false to claim his account was treated differently to any other candidate," in a statement.

One far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, secured an unexpected lead in the&nbsp;vote&nbsp;on Sunday, knocking out Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

He mainly campaigned on TikTok for the presidential election as does not have any party of his own.&nbsp;

But a rival, EU parliament member Cristian Terhes, challenged the result, accusing another candidate of irregularities.

In response, the&nbsp;court&nbsp;unanimously ordered a "recheck and&nbsp;recount&nbsp;of all ballots... in the&nbsp;elections&nbsp;for the office of president of&nbsp;Romania&nbsp;on November 24," it said in a statement.

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The ruling comes days before&nbsp;Romania&nbsp;holds high-stakes parliamentary&nbsp;elections&nbsp;on Sunday, with the&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;runoff to follow on December 8, amid fears they could herald a shift in its foreign policy.

Terhes has accused the centrist Union Save&nbsp;Romania&nbsp;(USR) party of small-town mayor Elena Lasconi of continuing to campaign online after the legal deadline and asked the&nbsp;court&nbsp;to have the&nbsp;first&nbsp;round&nbsp;of the&nbsp;vote&nbsp;annulled.

Lasconi came second in the ballot, just ahead of Ciolacu who got eliminated from the race.

The&nbsp;constitutional&nbsp;court&nbsp;is due to reconvene on Friday at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT).

The&nbsp;court&nbsp;meanwhile rejected a separate request by another&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;candidate, Sebastian Popescu, to annul the&nbsp;first&nbsp;round&nbsp;of the&nbsp;vote, ruling that the demand came too late.

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Georgescu's&nbsp;first-round&nbsp;win sent shock waves across the NATO member country of 19 million people.

Romanian voters had previously resisted nationalist parties, setting the country apart from neighbours Hungary and Slovakia.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

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Romania's constitutional court on Thursday ordered a recount of votes cast in the first round of the presidential election after allegations that social media platform TikTok gave "preferential treatment" to the surprise winner, Calin Georgescu.

Romania's constitutional court on Thursday ordered a recount of votes cast in the first round of the presidential election after allegations that social media platform TikTok gave "preferential treatment" to the surprise winner, Calin Georgescu. But the social media platform denied the allegations saying, "It is categorically false to claim his account was treated differently to any other candidate," in a statement. One far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, secured an unexpected lead in the vote on Sunday, knocking out Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. He mainly campaigned on TikTok for the presidential election as does not have any party of his own. But a rival, EU parliament member Cristian Terhes, challenged the result, accusing another candidate of irregularities. In response, the court unanimously ordered a "recheck and recount of all ballots... in the elections for the office of president of Romania on November 24," it said in a statement. Also read | Anti-Israel protesters disrupt Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, 25 arrested The ruling comes days before Romania holds high-stakes parliamentary elections on Sunday, with the presidential runoff to follow on December 8, amid fears they could herald a shift in its foreign policy. Terhes has accused the centrist Union Save Romania (USR) party of small-town mayor Elena Lasconi of continuing to campaign online after the legal deadline and asked the court to have the first round of the vote annulled. Lasconi came second in the ballot, just ahead of Ciolacu who got eliminated from the race. The constitutional court is due to reconvene on Friday at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT). The court meanwhile rejected a separate request by another presidential candidate, Sebastian Popescu, to annul the first round of the vote, ruling that the demand came too late. Watch | Mexico President Refutes Trump's Claims On Closing Border × Georgescu's first-round win sent shock waves across the NATO member country of 19 million people. Romanian voters had previously resisted nationalist parties, setting the country apart from neighbours Hungary and Slovakia. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Romanian court orders recount of presidential vote after claims that TikTok gave 'preference' to winner

In Romania, far-right nationalist are competing against the current leftist prime minister in the run-off. The election has thirteen candidates from the EU and NATO member nations, with the likely second round scheduled for December 8. Overseas voting started on Friday. Watch to know more!

Romania: Far-Right's Calin Georgescu Takes Shocking Lead In Presidential Poll | World News | WION

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