Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania’s presidential election.

Calin Georgescu, a Romanian hard-right NATO critic, appeared in a dead heat with leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu after the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, partial tallies showed,

In what may go down as one of Europe's more stunning election cycles in years, a largely unknown illiberal ultranationalist infused with conspiracy theories won the first round of presidential elections in Romania.

The Romanian presidential elections have resulted in an unexpected scenario with hard-right NATO critic Calin Georgescu and leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu neck-and-neck. Georgescu's unexpected rise challenges Romania's pro-Ukraine stance as voters focus on economic issues and security amid tensions with Russia.

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.

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, a prominent critic of NATO and Romania's support for Ukraine, has taken the lead in the presidential election.

Calin Georgescu’s surprise victory means the current pro-West prime minister will not make it to the election runoff.

A pro-Russia far-right candidate took a surprise lead Monday in Romania's presidential election, knocking the EU-leaning premier out of the race that will be decided in a December run off.