Romanian leftists and centrists hold off nationalist surge in parliamentary elections

Romanian leftist and centrist parties appear to have successfully countered a rise in nationalist support during the recent parliamentary elections. This follows a controversial first round of the presidential vote on November 24, which saw a far-right candidate unexpectedly gain traction. The Constitutional Court is set to announce its decision on whether to validate the presidential election results. If approved, Calin Georgescu, the far-right candidate, will compete against centre-right candidate Elena Lasconi in a run-off on December 8. A recount of nearly 9.5 million votes did not show significant changes, according to the electoral authority. Romanian officials have raised concerns about foreign interference, particularly from Russia, and have accused TikTok of favoring one candidate, which both deny.