After polls closed, 9.4 million people – just over 52% of eligible voters – had cast their ballots, according to data from the Permanent Electoral Authority, quoted by Euronews.
A little-known far-right populist has won in Romania’s presidential election first round and will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a runoff in two weeks, an outcome that has rocked the country’s political landscape.
Calin Georgescu was ahead by Monday afternoon after nearly all ballots were counted, with around 22.95% of the vote.
Lasconi, of the progressive Save Romania Union party, or USR, followed with 19.17%. She beat to the runoff incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), who had a 19.15% percentage. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, took 13.87%.
It is the first time in Romania’s 35-year post-communist history for the PSD not to have a candidate in the second round of a presidential race, serving a huge blow to the country’s most powerful party and underscoring voters’ anti-establishment sentiment.
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