Far-right candidate unexpectedly surges ahead in Romania's presidential election.

 This situation presents a dilemma for the millions of Romanians who supported other candidates.

One option is to unite behind the populist Social Democrat, Marcel Ciolacu, an establishment figure committed to maintaining Romania’s pro-Western stance. The alternative is to back Calin Georgescu, who has vowed to uphold Romania’s sovereignty.

Georgescu, an independent candidate, has pledged to end what he describes as subservience to the European Union and NATO, particularly regarding support for Ukraine. He has also criticized the NATO ballistic missile defense shield located in Deveselu, Romania.

The final results of this round will be announced later on Monday, once votes from Bucharest and the extensive Romanian diaspora are counted.

The campaign primarily focused on the rising cost of living, as Romania has the highest proportion of people at risk of poverty in the EU.

Exit polls released earlier on Sunday indicated that Ciolacu had a significant lead and projected that the center-right candidate, Elena Lasconi, would secure second place. However, the latest tally places Lasconi in third with 18%, while another nationalist, George Simion, is in fourth.

Although the president of Romania holds a largely symbolic position, they wield considerable influence over foreign policy matters.

Voter turnout was 51%, consistent with the figure from five years ago.