Far right leads Romania election rerun

BUCHAREST

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ROMANIA'S far-right candidate George Simion took a comfortable lead in Sunday’s first round of presidential elections, near-final results for the rerun of last year’s annulled ballot showed.

The closely watched rerun could potentially herald a foreign policy shift in the EU country of 19 million, which has become a key pillar of Nato since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

With 99% of ballots counted, nationalist AUR party leader Simion — a fan of US President Donald Trump ~ was leading with 40.5% of the vote.

He will face off against pro-EU Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan in the May 18 run-off, who surged to second place at 20.9%, narrowly booting out governing coalition candidate Crin Antonescu at 20.3.

“Together we made history today,” said Simion in a video message broadcast at his party’s headquarters as euphoric supporters chanted “Out with the thieves, let patriots come”.