Romania could elect its first far-right president on Sunday in a key vote for the EU and NATO member bordering Ukraine. A critic of the EU and NATO, he says he does not want to leave either grouping but wants to put Romania "on the world map".

A top Romanian court has validated the first round of a presidential race in which a far-right outsider emerged as the frontrunner, plunging the country into a week of turmoil amid allegations of electoral violations and Russian meddling.

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

Romania's constitutional court on Monday validated the results of the first round of the November 24 presidential ballot won by a far-right outsider, paving the way for a run-off on

The unanimous decision came after it asked the Central Election Bureau to recount and verify all 9.4 million ballots cast in the first round of the election on Nov. 24

Romania’s top court validated the outcome of a key presidential vote, approving the candidacy of a pro-Russian candidate for a runoff with high geopolitical stakes for the nation on NATO’s eastern flank.

Romania's Constitutional Court has rejected a petition by presidential candidate Cristian Terhes to annul the results of the first round of the presidential election, paving the way for a potential second-round vote next Sunday.