Romanians cast votes in parliamentary elections after right-wing presidential candidate's strong showing

Romanians are voting in parliamentary elections following a right-wing candidate's strong performance in the first round of the presidential election. The elections will fill the 323-seat lower house and the 133-seat senate. The governing coalition of the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party is competing against the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians. The outcome of the presidential election remains uncertain due to allegations of interference and a pending court decision. Calin Georgescu, the leading presidential candidate, received 23 percent of the votes. His unexpected success has raised concerns about a shift towards populist parties amid economic challenges in Romania.