Romania's hard-right candidate Calin Georgescu surprises in presidential race against Prime Minister Ciolacu
Calin Georgescu, a hard-right candidate critical of NATO, is in a tight race with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu after the first round of Romania's presidential elections. This result is surprising, as Georgescu had low polling numbers before the election. Georgescu, 62, previously associated with the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians, left the party in 2022 due to concerns over his pro-Russian views. He has made controversial statements about Romania's military alliances and historical figures. Recent polls showed Georgescu's support rising from under 0.4% in October to 5.4% in November. AUR leader George Simion expressed support for Georgescu, indicating a shift in political dynamics ahead of the second election round.