BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister. Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a Dec. 8. runoff.

The pro-Russian nationalist candidate Calin Georgescu had racked up a definitive 350,000 vote lead in an upset in Romania's presidential election as counting in the first round wound to a finish Monday.

Romania's pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was leading in the first round of presidential elections Sunday according to exit polls, with the far right not yet assured of a place in the second round,

Most polls predicted Calin Georgescu to win less than 10% of the vote in the first round of Romania’s presidential election.

Calin Georgescu, a critic of the EU and Nato, looks set to face the pro-Europe prime minister in the second round.

Calin Georgescu, a Romanian hard-right NATO critic, appeared in a dead heat with leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu after the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, partial tallies showed,

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.

A far-right, pro-Russia candidate is set for a shock victory in the first round of Romania's presidential election, with preliminary results leaving the prime minister, his main pro-Europe rival, out of the race.

Right, pro-Putin candidate took the unexpected lead in the country’s presidential election in an unexpected outcome that threatens its staunchly pro-Ukraine stance.