Far-right outsider sends shockwaves through Europe after surprise first-round win in Sunday's presidential election

Responsibility for the rise of the far right lies primarily with nominally “left” forces, who have adapted to nationalism and supported NATO’s war with Russia in Ukraine.

Romania's political landscape was left shocked after pro-Russia populist Calin Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election. The far-right leader knocked the EU-leaning premier out of the race that will be decided in a December run-off.

Romania’s political scene has introduced Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right populist, who surprised the nation by leading the first round of the presidential election with 22.95 per cent of the vote.

Calin Georgescu, who has stunned Romania and its European allies by leading the first round of the eastern European country's presidential election, is a far-right, self-styled outsider critical of NATO and of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Calin Georgescu, the little-known far-right politician, used TikTok to spread his anti-EU, anti-NATO message and win the first round of Romania's presidential election.

Romania is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election

A hard-right critic of NATO who has praised Russia is set to face a centre-right opposition leader in a presidential election run-off in Romania that could undermine its pro-Western stance after a shock outcome in the first-round vote.