The European Union’s sixth most populous country is grappling with a pressing question: how did an unknown far-right leader, running without the backing of any political party, manage to win the first round of the presidential elections?

Calin Georgescu, the little-known far-right politician, used TikTok to spread his anti-EU, anti-NATO message and win the first round of Romania's presidential election.

Romania’s presidential election was upended by a nationalist who has voiced admiration for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, setting up a likely runoff with an establishment candidate in one of the country’s biggest upsets since the end of communism.

Over 1,000 youths gathered in Bucharest, protesting against far-right nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu, who won 23% in the first round of Romania's presidential election. #EuropeNews

(JTA) — A politician who praised notorious Romanian antisemites and Nazi collaborators has won the first round of his country’s presidential election.

The pro-Russian nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu had racked up a definitive 350,000 vote lead in an upset in Romania's presidential election as counting in the first round wound to a finish Monday.

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.

Calin Georgescu takes shock lead in Romania’s presidential election A far-right, pro-Russia candidate has won the first round of Romania’s presidential elections. Calin Georgescu has defied the polls and surprised the political establishment.