Calin Georgescu leads Romania's presidential election first round, set for runoff against Elena Lasconi

Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right populist, led Romania's presidential election first round with about 22.95% of the vote. He will face reformist Elena Lasconi, who received 19.17%, in a runoff on December 8. This election marks the first time in 35 years that the ruling Social Democratic Party will not have a candidate in the second round. Incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu narrowly missed advancing, receiving 19.15% of the votes. Georgescu's rise is notable, as polls had predicted he would receive less than 10%. He gained significant support from Romania's diaspora, winning 43.3% of their votes. The election outcome reflects growing anti-establishment sentiment among voters.