Ruling Social Democrats likely to win Romanian elections

Romania's main centre-left party was on track to finish first in parliamentary elections, according to early exit polls last night, seemingly beating an advancing far right boosted by the shock victory of an ultranationalist in last week's presidential first-round ballot.

- Jon Henley

The ruling Social Democratic party (PSD) was forecast to score 26%, ahead of the nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) on 19%, with the National Liberal party (PNL) and centre-right Save Romania Union (USR) vying for third on 15%-16%.

The vote was the second of three successive ballots and came a week after Calin Georgescu, a little-known far-right, Moscow-friendly independent, plunged the country into turmoil by finishing first in the opening round of the presidential vote.

Georgescu's success, after a campaign that was based heavily on viral TikTok videos boosted by bot-like activity, raised suspicions of foreign interference and sparked fears Romania would veer to the far right.