Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a runoff in two weeks.

A Romanian hard-right NATO critic and centre-right opposition party leader will likely face each other in a Dec. 8 presidential run-off vote, results showed, in an unexpected outcome that threatens Romania's staunchly pro-Ukraine stance.

Romania's political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in Sunday's presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister.

Calin Georgescu, who had been widely dismissed as a fringe candidate, won the most votes on Sunday with 22.9 percent. He will face a more centrist opponent in the second round on Dec. 8.

BUCHAREST -- Independent candidate Calin Georgescu and Elena Lasconi, leader of the Save Romania Union, will face off in the second round of Romania's 2024 presidential election on Dec 8, according to near-complete results from the Permanent Electoral Authority.

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

Romania is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election

Electoral data shows a far-right populist leads in Romania’s presidential election and will likely face leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in a runoff in two weeks

A hard-right critic of NATO who has praised Russia is set to face a centre-right opposition leader in a presidential election run-off in Romania that could undermine its pro-Western stance after a shock outcome in the first-round vote.

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.