UPDATE - Far-right candidate George Simion leads in 1st round of Romania presidential elections

UPDATED WITH LATEST RESULTS, CHANGED DECK

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - The far-right candidate George Simion leads in the first round of Romania's presidential election, according to results announced by the country's electoral authority on Sunday night.

Simion, the candidate of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, received more than 41% of the votes, followed by centrist candidates Crin Antonescu with 21.5% and Nicusor Dan with 17.8%, the Permanent Electoral Authority said, adding that more than 70% of the votes cast had been counted.

Romania's first round of presidential elections took place on Nov. 24, 2024, and was won by pro-Russian far-right candidate Calin Gorgescu.

Romania's Constitutional Court annulled the presidential run-off scheduled for Dec. 8, 2024, as well as the results of the first round of the Nov. 24 election, saying the election process was manipulated in favor of Georgescu by a Russia-backed campaign.