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 belonged to the Alliance for Uniting Romanians but left due to concerns over his pro-Russian views. He has made controversial statements about NATO and praised historical figures linked to anti-Semitism. 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, emphasizing opposition to Ciolacu in the upcoming second round.